A two-storey building on M.G. Road in Kochi tilted onto an adjacent multi-storey building on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, around 6 p.m., after a hydraulic jack reportedly slipped during renovation work. The foundation was being raised to prevent monsoon flooding on the ground floor. A Chennai-based private contractor was carrying out the work. The building’s lower portion sustained minor damage; there were no casualties because it was unoccupied. The adjacent building housed several private establishments. Occupants and nearby residents were evacuated. Fire station sources said the tilted building would have to be demolished, with engineers expected to inspect it and take necessary measures on Wednesday.

Kochi, also known as Ernakulam, is described as one of India’s fastest-growing cities and ranked fifth among 20 selected Smart Cities to receive infrastructure funding. Economic development is attracting professionals, and residential demand is rising year on year. Builders from Ernakulam and across Kerala, including Thiruvananthapuram, are developing apartments, flats, villas and independent houses for homebuyers and investors.

Location affects property prices and value. Marine Drive and M.G. Road command premiums for backwater views and developed infrastructure; Kakkanad and Vyttila offer budget apartments and villas. Central locations with good connectivity are valued above the outskirts. Ernakulam has educational institutions offering professional courses, hospitals, healthcare professionals and dispensaries. Thevara and Ravipuram are described as uptown areas, while Kakkanad and Edappally are budget locations with healthcare options and apartments and villas for sale. The city has malls, cafes, parks and museums, and is close to Kerala tourist destinations.

Public Works Minister P K Basheer announced ₹100 crore in administrative sanction and technical approval for the 3.6-km Thammanam-Pullepady road; ₹93.89 crore is allocated through KIIFB. The road will connect Padma Junction on MG Road with Thammanam/Chakkaraparambu on the national highway and is intended to ease Kochi traffic congestion.

The project has been delayed for nearly three decades. Land acquisition began in 1998: 102.41 acres were voluntarily surrendered by 83 landowners, and a further 111.41 acres were acquired using ₹25 crore during former chief minister Oommen Chandy’s tenure. Around nine acres across 212 survey numbers, involving nearly 500 stakeholders, remain to be acquired.

The project was included under KIIFB in 2016-17. KRFB took it over and marked the alignment and boundary stones, but RTK digital surveys remain incomplete, delaying valuation and acquisition. A preliminary acquisition notification is being prepared, and revenue officers are to be appointed through the district collector. Local stakeholders have also sought repairs to the road’s entry and exit points.

Kochi Metro Rail Limited (KMRL) has revived its proposal for a modern light tram network in Kochi, planned as India’s first. The proposed first route runs from MG Road to Thevara. Kolkata has phased out its tram transport system.