A year after a multi-storey under–construction building collapse incident, people who had purchased houses in the project, have now sought intervention of the Centre and the State Government to address the issue.
“We have requested the Prime Minister’s Office, Finance Ministry, Chief Minister cell here to address our issues. Even after a year after the tragedy, we are still paying our loans to the house that does not exist,” Vice-President, Moulivakkam Trust Heights Flats Affected Buyers Association, TM Manikanden told reporters.
Sixty-one persons lost their lives after the 11-storeyed building collapsed on June 28 last year at suburban Moulivakkam. The State Government had set up an inquiry commission to probe the circumstances leading to the collapse.
Manikanden who had booked an apartment in sixth floor of the building, said, “the total project cost of the house that I booked was Rs 55 lakh and I had paid Rs 22 lakh with all my funds. For the remaining
Rs 33 lakh I obtained loan from a nationalised bank. Now, we are paying the loan amount for an house that doesn’t exist”.
“We have written to the banks explaining our situation. But there has been no response. like me, about 55 persons have purchased the apartments with total investment of about
Rs 25 crore,” he said.
Another resident, who had purchased a house, said he had sold all his assets to purchase an apartment in the building.
“The total project cost for an apartment that I bought was Rs 40 lakh. I have paid Rs 20 lakh initially by selling ancestral property and from my retirement amount. I got Rs 21 lakh from a nationalised bank as loan. Now I am paying EMI for an house that does not exist”, he said.
Meanwhile, members of the Chennai Civil Engineer’s Association paid floral tributes to the 61 people who died in the building collapse.