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In a striking depiction of migration's impact, Kerala's Kottayam district, particularly the village of Kaippuzha, presents an eerie spectacle of opulent, deserted NRI (Non-Residential Indian) homes. The area, once thriving due to substantial NRI investments, now holds close to 100 such vacant properties up for sale.
The Knanaya Catholic community has historically dominated the local population, with many members seeking job opportunities overseas since the 1950s. This trend has now spread across other communities in central Kerala, leaving many lavish residences in adjacent regions, such as Kaduthurthy, Uzhavoor, and Karinkunnam, mostly unoccupied.
The original intention of these homes was for them to serve as peaceful retirement sanctuaries for the first-generation NRIs. However, with their children opting to settle abroad and parents passing away, these homes quickly turned into dormant investments. In some instances, migrants funded the construction of these grand homes to fulfil their parents' dreams of social status but never returned to inhabit them.
The 2011 Census indicated that 10.6% of Kerala's houses were unoccupied. This number is likely to rise in the future, considering the escalating trend of overseas migration for employment and education. Haritha Karma Sena's data, an organization involved in waste collection and recycling, suggests that nearly 2,886 out of 11,156 houses in Koipuram Grama Panchayat, Pathanamthitta district, are deserted. Many homeowners, having failed to maintain these properties over the years, opt to stay in rented accommodation when visiting Kerala.
The state government had proposed a tax on vacant houses in its recent budget, which was later withdrawn due to backlash from the NRI community. In conclusion, as the ghost mansions of Kerala remain a testament to the mass migration, it raises pressing questions about societal structure and the future of these opulent, vacant properties. Policymakers must address these underlying issues to avert the economic and social consequences of this trend.
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