Unsafe Bhaskara flat owners want new flats at same spot

Kakinada: Residents, who were evacuated from the unsafe Bhaskara Estate Apartments Complex here on Thursday, urged the Kakinada Municipal Corporation to force the builders to rebuild the apartment complex at the same location.

Expressing fear that the builders may build new flats at the same place and sell them to others, the residents said that they would pay a revised price for the flats. The residents suspected a conspiracy by the builders to usurp the land in the prime location and feared that they may be given land somewhere else, on the outskirts of the city.

CPM city secretary Chintapalli Ajaya Kumar came out in support of the owners of the Bhaskara flats that will be demolished as per the decision of the corporation. He organised a rally with the participation of representatives of other associations.

The Kakinada Municipal Corporation has ordered the demolition of the residential complex as it was found to be unsafe. The residents were also demanding the arrest of the builders and their prosecution.

The residents also decided to hold a protest meeting in front of Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy when he visits the town during his Kakinada rural tour between September 30 and October 2.

The flat owners also urged the local MLA and MP to intervene on their behalf to ensure that the new houses were constructed for them on the same spot where the Bhaskara complex now stood. The meeting also decided that the rights of the deceased owners should also be protected.

The Left party leaders and union leaders present at the meeting urged the Kakinada Municipal Corporation to carry out a safety audit of other multi-storied complexes in the city.

CITU district secretary K Srinivasa Rao, TDP leader Nageshwara Ayinapurapu, Tirumalasetti Pitta Vara Prasad, Raitu Sangham leader Narasimha Rao Surya and others participated in the meeting. Family members of 22 affected Bhaskara Apartment owners were present.