Kochi Corporation proposes repatriation of residents from other States ahead of overhaul of Palluruthy Relief Settlement

The Kochi Corporation is considering repatriating residents from other States housed at the Palluruthy Relief Settlement (PRS)—a shelter and rehabilitation home for destitute, wandering and abandoned people rescued largely from the streets—to care facilities in their respective States, ahead of a proposed overhaul of the PRS within the next six months.

The plan is to replace the ageing structure with a state-of-the-art facility spread over 10,000 sq. ft, complete with an in-house wellness centre and commercial space to generate revenue for a self-sustaining model. The existing building, with its worn-out amenities, currently houses 138 residents, including long-term inmates who have lived there for decades. The Corporation is exploring ways to shift or repatriate residents to bring down occupancy to about one-fourth before proceeding with demolition and laying the foundation stone for the new facility in the coming months.