Chintel aged faster, needs detailed structural, quality testing : IIT Delhi preliminary report

Sumedha Sharma 

Gurugram, March 25

The three-member IIT team that conducted spot inspection of Chintel Paradiso collpased tower has found the project aged faster than expected.

The revelation which has yet again emphasised poor quality of construction has got administration on toes. An urgent meeting of its enquiry committee headed by ADC Vishram Meena has been called.

The team shall review report, speak to builder and resident representatives, and decide on further course of action.

The residents, meanwhile, have demanded arrest of builder claiming that initial report has found structural lapses.

“It is felt that there is a possibility of the presence of issues related to the structural design, material quality, and construction quality in the structures. Each of these possibilities needs to be investigated through a detailed survey, testing, assessment on-and-off the site, and analysis programme,” read the report.

The team also found significant corrosion of steel reinforcements in the debris of the tower where the ceilings of six floors collapsed on February 10 and observed rust marks during visual inspection.

“For this purpose, a recognised structural designer of the choice of the authorities, who would be available to work under the guidance of the Committee from IIT Delhi, may be engaged.

“In order to assess the possibility of deficiencies in material and construction quality in the structures, it is recommended that a detailed survey and testing programme be carried out. For this purpose, a structural survey and testing agency of the choice of the authorities, who would be available to work under the guidance of the Committee from IIT Delhi, may be engaged.

“Since the repair work that was in progress could also have had a role to play in the collapses, it is requested that the detailed repair procedure being followed in the buildings be informed in writing to the committee,” read the recommendations in the report.