Latest news with #KeralaMunicipalBuildingRules
The Hindu
25-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
24 families evacuated after pillar at apartment complex in Kochi suffers damage
A total of 24 families residing in a 16-floor apartment complex at Panampilly Nagar here were evacuated after an L-section pillar on the ground floor suffered extensive damage, exposing the steel rods within. The families were residing in the A Block of RDS Avenue-1 apartments. Following the development, officials from the engineering wing of the Kochi Corporation visited the apartment and issued a stop memo to construction work reportedly under way near the damaged structure, citing the lack of civic agency approval. Responding to the eviction of families due to the damaged pillar, Yacub Mohan George, who retired as Deputy Chief Engineer from the Public Works department (PWD), said the builder, contractors, project manager, designer, architect, and officials who issued the occupancy certificate must be held accountable. As per norms, all materials used in the construction should be tested and certified, and a proof check must be carried out on the structural design as per the National Building Code. He added that the report submitted by an expert committee that had been formed about a decade ago to revise the Kerala Municipal Building Rules (KMBR) should be implemented to prevent recurrence of such structural problems. Hibi Eden, MP, who visited the apartment, demanded that a team of experts from the PWD Buildings wing, Kochi Corporation, and the disaster management team be formed to rectify the damage. One of the apartment owners Sreenivasan Krishnan, who was formerly secretary of the All India Congress Committee, said the owners had taken up the issue of the damaged pillar with structural engineers, who opined that the problem could be rectified in another two to three months. An additional pile may be needed to bear the load of the nearly 17-year-old apartment complex. The cost-sharing arrangement for this needs to be worked out, he added.
Time of India
05-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Technopark to have its first prefabricated building
T'puram: In a significant step toward meeting the increasing demand for IT and ITES infrastructure, Technopark is set to construct its first prefabricated building at its Phase I campus. This initiative aligns with sustainable development goals of India's pioneering IT park. The foundation stone for the three-storey, 50,000 sq ft prefab building was laid by Technopark CEO Sanjeev Nair, near the Pamba-Periyar buildings on the Phase I campus. Prefabrication technology involves manufacturing building components in a controlled off-site environment, which are then transported and assembled at the construction site. This project marks Technopark's first in-house prefabricated construction. The building's architectural and structural designs were approved by IIT Palakkad, while the College of Engineering Trivandrum (CET) verified the soil testing and other construction-related parameters. Designed with a focus on sustainability and efficiency, the building will feature 80 percent space efficiency, open dining and recreational areas, compliance with Kerala Municipal Building Rules (KMBR), floor-to-floor height of 4m, provision for 4–5 modules per floor, natural lighting, ample ventilation, HVAC systems and 100 percent DG backup. Additional amenities include office spaces, meeting rooms, conference halls, a pantry, restrooms, recreation areas, a reception zone and service rooms. Kochi-based Wootz Structures Pvt Ltd has been entrusted with the execution of the work. TNN
