Gurgaon’s administration has decided to demolish tower ‘D ‘ of Chintels Paradiso condominium in Sector 109, Gurgaon, after six flats in the tower collapsed on February 10, 2022. The decision was made based on the recommendations of an audit by IIT Delhi that found structural deficiencies in the structure that cannot be safely repaired.
Gurgaon deputy commissioner Nishant Yadav said on November 5, 2022, said that over 50 apartments in tower D will be closed and demolished. Towers E and F of the complex will be vacated and a structural audit of the two buildings will be conducted the next month, he added.
On February 10, 2022, six floors in Tower D collapsed from the sixth floor, killing two persons. The state government had ordered an audit and criminal cases to be registered against the developer and contractor.
According to Yadav, the IIT report found structural deficiencies in Tower D due to which the slab of the sixth-floor flat, which was undergoing renovations, had collapsed. The repair work being carried out in the apartment was not supervised. As per the report, the corroded reinforcements had been painted to hide corrosion. The methodology of repair was also not appropriate and in line with the standards. The samples taken from tower D also found that these had high chloride content and the quality of concrete was poor.
A detailed order for the demolition of Tower D will be issued on November 7, 2022, after obtaining the report from the district committee probing the matter, he said. Besides demolishing tower D, the administration has also decided to get tower E and tower F in the condominium vacated, and structural testing will be conducted by IIT Delhi experts. The apartment owners will be given rent or alternative flats till the time a final decision is taken regarding the two towers, he added.
Tower E has 28 flats and Tower F has 22 flats. According to the deputy commissioner, towers E and F have shown sagging in some balconies and the floor in some apartments has shown distress. The developer will be asked to get these flats vacated and settle claims of the owners in tower D in a time-bound manner. There will be three options for the resolution of claims – first, the developer and owners can settle the matter bilaterally. Secondly, the district administration has appointed two evaluators to assess the value of each flat, considering the interiors and other work done by the owners. Thirdly, the owners can approach the court seeking compensation if they are not satisfied with the valuation.
The developer will pay the rent to the owners of towers E and F or provide them with alternative flats until the structural audit report is submitted by the experts from IIT Delhi, he said.
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