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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Thanal Housing Project in Muttathara, aimed at rehabilitating families from the nearly 50-year-old Vikalanga Colony, remains on hold despite receiving technical approval from the local self-government department (LSGD) in August 2025. New technical and cost challenges have delayed the contractor from starting work, leaving around 100 families waiting for permanent housing for another year.
The ongoing delay has also stalled the relocation of slaughterhouses across from the colony to a newly built modern abattoir in Kunnukuzhy, as the residents’ rehabilitation is seen as a requirement for moving those facilities.
According to corporation sources, the project has been in limbo for months due to revised cost estimates and technical issues. The newly elected BJP-led corporation council is now reviewing the situation before deciding on the next steps.
With an estimated cost of around Rs 20 crore, the project is managed by the Uralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society (ULCCS). It includes plans for a two-storey residential complex on two acres at Priyadarshini Nagar, Muttathara, featuring 136 apartments of roughly 550 sq ft each. This housing is primarily for 99 families currently residing in the Vikalanga Colony, many of whom are persons with disabilities or economically disadvantaged households.
The project has seen multiple revisions over the past two years. Height restrictions imposed by the Airport Authority of India led to the change from a three-storey building to a two-storey design, as the site is within the airport’s regulated zone. Additionally, delays arose when cost estimates based on the 2018 Delhi Schedule of Rates became outdated, necessitating a new estimate based on the 2024 schedule before securing technical sanction.
Even after receiving these approvals, construction has not yet begun. Local LDF councillor Shajitha Nasar claimed that funding issues have hindered progress. “Despite ULCCS being awarded the contract and the foundation laying, there has been no advancement. Residents have been waiting a long time,” she stated, noting that the project has faced delays even under the previous LDF-led council.
Residents continue to live in cramped, deteriorating conditions as they await rehabilitation. Preliminary works, including soil testing, have already been completed, with construction originally scheduled to be finished within 18 months of commencement.
Mayor V V Rajesh mentioned he was unaware of the project’s current state. “I will investigate this matter immediately,” he told TOI.
The Vikalanga Colony, established about 48 years ago, is named for its significant population of persons with disabilities. The Thanal Housing Project was initially designed to assist flood victims and fishermen affected by coastal erosion but was later expanded by the state government to include the colony residents.
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