In
what is perhaps the first of its kind land deal in Kerala’s Church history,
rights to a 1.8-acre plot on Periyar river bank in Aluva, owned by Carmelgiri
seminary, has been given to a private builder.
Under
a transferable development rights partnership, Mumbai-based Leo Builders and
Developers in exchange will construct a 250-million rupee multi-storey building
that will serve as the Latin Church's secretariat.
While
the secretariat will come up on the Carmelgiri campus, the
residential-cum-commercial complex will be built near it. The Church will have
a stake in the commercial building.
Church
officials have come to an agreement with the builder which is run by a member
of the congregation and the complex will be completed within three years.
"Since
we cannot meet the expense, we decided to go for a joint venture. Instead of
selling the land we agreed for a share in the building so that the revenue from
the commercial complex can be used for our various activities," said Archbishop
Soosa Pakiam of Trivandrum.
"The
builders will invest a certain amount, but it is more like a contribution to
the church's development than any business interests,” he said.
The
deal was brokered to fulfil the wish of the Kerala Region Latin Catholic
Council to have a secretariat like the headquarters of the other two rites.
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The
new complex at Carmelgiri, with a history dating back to 1682, would coordinate
the work of all its 11 dioceses and various committees as well as conducting
Bible classes and courses.
"The
complex will not come up on the campus, and there will be residential facilities
also. We are working on the details," said Fr Francis Xavier
Thannikkaparambil, KRLCC's general secretary.
Sources:
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