A roof that doesn’t leak is the sole demand of families in P&T Apartments to candidates in this election

Families of the P&T Apartment complex at Mundamveli have just one demand for all candidates contesting from the Kochi Assembly constituency: a solid roof overhead that does not leak like a sieve when it rains.

Though it sounds basic, for 78 families it has become a luxury ever since they moved into the twin apartment towers in January 2024. The buildings began leaking during the first showers in February that year, and the problem has progressively worsened. Fed up, residents even fielded a candidate from the Mundamveli East division in the Kochi Corporation during local body polls last year to draw attention to their plight. Their misery has returned with the summer showers that began lashing the city last week.

A meeting chaired by the District Collector more than a month ago had decided to undertake fibre plastering at a cost of ₹28 lakh on the exterior of the twin towers as an interim measure to arrest leakage before the onset of the monsoon. While sources in the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) claimed that the proposal was being taken forward, residents allege that little progress has been made.

Families raised the matter with sitting MLA K.J. Maxy, who is contesting as the LDF candidate for a third term. Works that had stalled following the notification of the local body polls have since resumed, including drainage, compound wall construction, landscaping, and earth-filling, sanctioned using the MLA’s development funds. Mr. Maxy said that the overhead roof would also be covered under the works.

Meanwhile, an overflowing cesspit has added to the families’ woes. “Disposal of sewage using trucks has stopped since last Saturday (March 28, 2026) after the Collector, at a meeting held that day, directed the GCDA to operationalise the sewage treatment plant at the apartment. Now, the cesspit is overflowing creating hygiene issues,” said P.M. Saritha, secretary of the P&T Apartment Owners Association.

UDF candidate Mohammed Shiyas alleged corruption in the construction of the apartment complex and demanded criminal proceedings against those responsible, including officials. “Corruption at the cost of the poorest of the poor is unacceptable and brings disrepute to the entire political class,” he said.

Though an expert committee led by a professor from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, has submitted a condition assessment and repair strategy report to resolve the problems of the apartments, neither the GCDA, which commissioned the towers, nor P&T Apartment Owners Association was satisfied. The association openly voiced its discontent at last month’s meeting.