‘Demolition man’ Alphons turns master builder in Kerala

KANJIRAPPALLY - K.J. Alphons, who was known as the ‘demolition man’ responsible for razing thousands of illegal constructions in New Delhi, is now being seen as a ‘master builder’ in Kerala. He has fulfilled a long-standing demand for a mini civil station in his constituency, a building that has come up in just 427 days.

The 40,000 sq ft building boasts of Graeco-Roman Architecture and is completely environment-friendly as it doesn’t requiring any electric lights in daytime. Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan is set to dedicate the civil station to Kanjirappally Sunday.

Alphons surprised all when he quit the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) after spending more than two decades to contest as a Left-supported Independent candidate and won the Kanjirappally assembly seat in Kottayam district in the 2006 assembly polls.

Alphons said the project was scheduled to be built in 730 days but was completed ahead of time.

“Right from the design part of the five-storey building, which will now house all government offices, I have been closely involved. Every day I used to arrive at the site and I have handpicked every material that has been used,” Alphons told IANS.

The building has been built at a cost of more than Rs.200 crore by the state public works department.

“The building was conceptualised by architect Rajiv, an assistant architect in the Chief Architects Office, and myself. It has typical Graeco-Roman architecture and is possibly the most beautiful building in India. It is a completely green building, requiring no electric light during the day,” said Alphons, who earned the nickname of demolition man for razing over 14,000 illegal constructions as commissioner of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA).

Alphons, who had earlier openly declared that a politician’s job was not to attend funerals, marriages or make money, said he is always accessible to the people.

“I decided to reach out to people and I don’t have any assistant and anyone can reach me at any time on my mobile. Over the last three and a half years, I have brought Rs.200 crore of government money into the constituency for basic infrastructure like drinking water, electricity, schools, hospitals and roads. This is more than the entire money that has come into the constituency in 50 years,” Alphons said.

–Indo Asian News Service