6 months ago
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A quarter-century-old Kudumbashree edifice adjacent Vyttila successful the Ponnurunni part successful Kochi metropolis Corporation is staring astatine imaginable shutdown from Saturday (October 25, 2025) successful the aftermath of a announcement issued by the non-tax helping of the Corporation implicit alleged rent dues.
According to the announcement dated September 9, 2025, issued by the Corporation’s Joint Secretary, the hotel—New Akshaya—operating from the Corporation’s Ponnurunni Shopping Complex, owes ₹1.38 lakh successful rent, including penal interest. The magnitude has been calculated astatine ₹8 a sq ft for the 1,069-sq-ft store for the play from October 2022 to May 2023. Officials from the Corporation’s Vyttila portion informed Kudumbashree members managing the edifice that it would beryllium unopen down connected Saturday if the dues are not cleared.
Initially tally by 10 Kudumbashree members, the edifice present has 12 members drawn from 5 neighbourhood groups. It was designated a Janakeeya Hotel nether the State government’s Hunger-Free Kerala project, launched during the 2020-21 fiscal year, offering luncheon astatine ₹25. Under the scheme, rent, electricity, and h2o charges are to beryllium borne by the section assemblage concerned.
“We continued to wage inferior charges for astir 3 years aft being categorised arsenic a Janakeeya Hotel. When the authorities stopped the subsidy, we struggled to negociate the expenses and approached the Corporation for support. That’s erstwhile we were informed that, arsenic a Janakeeya Hotel, we were not required to wage rent,” said Omana Ratnakaran, caput of the Kudumbashree portion managing the hotel. Subsequently, they stopped paying inferior charges.
Certificate submitted
However, a fewer months ago, the edifice received a announcement demanding rent dues of astir ₹1.48 lakh. When the Kudumbashree portion cited its Janakeeya Hotel status, it was asked to nutrient a certificate confirming the same. On July 2, the Kudumbashree District Mission, Ernakulam, certified that the edifice was so a Janakeeya Hotel. The certificate was submitted to the Corporation, and the members were assured that the substance would beryllium placed earlier the assembly for a favourable decision. Instead, they received different announcement past period demanding the rent dues.
Ponnurunni councillor C.D. Bindu claimed that the edifice nary longer enjoyed the Janakeeya Hotel presumption and that the Kudumbashree portion had failed to wide the rent dues contempt repeated reminders. “They person been asked to wage astatine slightest portion of the dues and taxable a caller exertion presenting their case,” she said. On Kudumbashree Mission certifying it arsenic a Janakeeya Hotel, Ms. Bindu said she would verify the claim.
Audit objections
Corporation sources from the non-tax helping said the announcement was issued to debar audit objections. “They person been asked to taxable documents confirming the hotel’s Janakeeya status, arsenic the Corporation’s gross helping has nary specified records. The payment lasting committee is considering their lawsuit favourably,” an authoritative said.
