KOCHI: It has become a daily routine for the residents of postal and telegraph quarters, Thevara, to kill poisonous snakes every day and that too inside their houses. Besides, they have been living under the constant threat as they do not know when the roof of their houses may fall off completely. The postal and telegraph quarters, which is under both postal department and Bharatiya Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL), has been awaiting proper maintenance for the past ten years. Now, even trees and shrubs have sprouted on the buildings. The lackadaisical attitude of the authorities has affected the lives of the residents of the quarters. “The authorities, in-charge of these quarters, have been evading this gross issue for quite a long time,” said Aravindakshan A, secretary, Residents’ Association. About 135 people are residing in the quarters. According to the residents, it is the rift between the postal department and the BSNL which has led to this gross situation. When contacted Abdul Nasser, sub divisional engineer, BSNL, said that they have loaded gravels to start the renovation work, whereas, C A Benny, assistant director (buildings), postal department, was not ready to respond on why they are not taking any measures to revamp the structure. But the residents have completely refuted the statement of BSNL sub divisional engineer. “It’s true that they have unloaded gravel but it is for the renovation work of the other dilapidated quarters for which we had contacted the authorities eight years back. Also, the work is yet to begin,” Aravindakshan said.Postal Staff Quarters Welfare Association secretary V R Anil Kumar said that the road inside the quarters is completely destroyed. “ It was built 40 years back, when this structure was bought,” he said. “Most of us are compelled to stay under dangerous circumstances as we do not have any other alternative,” he added.
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