KOCHI: Though Maradu flats demolition is a painful chapter, it has sent a strong message to everyone in the industry that the rule of the land should be obeyed, said Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan. He was speaking during the inauguration of the fifth edition of Confederation of Real Estate Developers’ Associations of India’s (Credai’s) two-day state conference, ‘StateCon 2020’, in Kochi on Friday.

“As law-abiding citizens, we have to ensure that the laws are being obeyed in letter and spirit. The interest of the consumers needs to be protected as they are the ones who become victims in most disputes in the sector,” said Khan.    

As the sector is being governed by multiple laws, the governor felt that there is a high level of confusion persisting. “Like the saying ‘if you have 10,000 regulations, you destroy all the respect for the law’, the situation has created uncertainty among the industry players. While there is no dearth of honest players, a few dubious elements have been tarnishing the image and credibility of the sector,” he said.  The introduction of Kerala Real Estate Regulatory Authority (K-Rera) will ensure efficiency in the sector, he said. “K-Rera comes as a mechanism to ensure credibility and provides a trustworthy environment to the customers. Regulations will lead to a better construction atmosphere and more transparent interface between buyers and sellers in future,” said the governor.  

“Amid the challenges, the industry has the massive potential to grow. Apart from skill training, the players have to ensure safety of labourers at workplace. Their welfare and efficiency are essential for the growth of the industry. It should look beyond construction and initiate efforts in environmental conservation,” he added.  

“We are going to witness a new wave of urbanisation in the next two decades. It gives an immense opportunity to set our priority areas in mass transit, waste management, sustainable habitat and affordable housing,” said Khan.