By Jisha Surya - THIRUVANANTHAPURAM
09th July 2012 09:03 AM
One of the oldest flats in the city stands tall adjacent to the Kerala Hindi Prachar Sabha in Vazhuthacaud.
Flat culture existed in the city almost 52 years ago. Surprised? One of the oldest flats, arguably the State’s first, stands tall adjacent to the Kerala Hindi Prachar Sabha in Vazhuthacaud. Now functioning as a one-day home, the apartment has an eventful story to tell.
When Vattappara-based S Sadasivan decided to invest money he earned from Malaysia on an apartment, everyone discouraged him. “Then, everyone was skeptical about the concept of several families living together in a single building. But he constructed the three-storeyed apartment with 12 houses. It was then known as ‘Bombay flat.’ I was just four then,” said 56-year-old D S Sathish, the managing trustee of Prakash School for Children in Need for Special Care Trust, which is managing the building now.
However, the first apartment had the fate to go for a legal battle with its inmates over the ownership deal. “The flats were given on rental basis. However, later, they refused to vacate. There was a 22-year-long legal battle with the residents in High Court. Finally, my uncle won the case,” said Sathish, nephew of Sadasivan. Sadasivan died four years ago at the age of 90.
The building now functions as a one-day home. One to four persons can stay in the two-bedroom flat for just ` 590 per day. In addition to two bedrooms, there is a hall and a kitchen, cable TV, telephone etc. Kitchen facility will be provided for an additional ` 150. For AC flats, the tariff is ` 1,885.
“The apartment is now run by Prakash School Trust, Vattappara. The money from the apartment is used to run the Prakash special school in Vencode, Vattappara, established in memory of Sadasivan’s elder son, a mentally-challenged boy who died at the age of 17,” said Sathish.
09th July 2012 09:03 AM
One of the oldest flats in the city stands tall adjacent to the Kerala Hindi Prachar Sabha in Vazhuthacaud.
Flat culture existed in the city almost 52 years ago. Surprised? One of the oldest flats, arguably the State’s first, stands tall adjacent to the Kerala Hindi Prachar Sabha in Vazhuthacaud. Now functioning as a one-day home, the apartment has an eventful story to tell.
When Vattappara-based S Sadasivan decided to invest money he earned from Malaysia on an apartment, everyone discouraged him. “Then, everyone was skeptical about the concept of several families living together in a single building. But he constructed the three-storeyed apartment with 12 houses. It was then known as ‘Bombay flat.’ I was just four then,” said 56-year-old D S Sathish, the managing trustee of Prakash School for Children in Need for Special Care Trust, which is managing the building now.
However, the first apartment had the fate to go for a legal battle with its inmates over the ownership deal. “The flats were given on rental basis. However, later, they refused to vacate. There was a 22-year-long legal battle with the residents in High Court. Finally, my uncle won the case,” said Sathish, nephew of Sadasivan. Sadasivan died four years ago at the age of 90.
The building now functions as a one-day home. One to four persons can stay in the two-bedroom flat for just ` 590 per day. In addition to two bedrooms, there is a hall and a kitchen, cable TV, telephone etc. Kitchen facility will be provided for an additional ` 150. For AC flats, the tariff is ` 1,885.
“The apartment is now run by Prakash School Trust, Vattappara. The money from the apartment is used to run the Prakash special school in Vencode, Vattappara, established in memory of Sadasivan’s elder son, a mentally-challenged boy who died at the age of 17,” said Sathish.
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