2 illegal apartment complexes in Kerala brought down; SC order

Two high rise apartment complexes were demolished on Saturday using controlled implosion as authorities began implementing the Supreme Court order to bring down four water-front structures in Maradu municipality here.

While the first illegal water-front complex, known as "Holy Faith H20, was demolished at 11.18 am, the twin towers of Alfa Serene apartment were demolished just minutes later.

Both the structures came crashing down in seconds, in a cloud of dust.

Thousands of people watched the demolition from outside the demolition zone.

Evacuation of people residing around the two illegal apartment complexes was completed hours before the demolition of the structures began this morning.

The prohibitory order declared by the Ernakulam District Collector came into force at 8 am in the evacuation zone of the two residential complexes.

Two other apartment complexes would be demolished on Sunday, complying with the orders of the Apex Court which held the structures to be illegal as they had been built in violation of the Coastal Regulation Zone norms.

The complexes housing a total of 343 flats would be brought down using the implosion method and the companies engaged for it have completed the filling of explosives in the structures on Wednesday.