Gurugram: IIT for complete evacuation of Chintel Paradiso

Sumedha Sharma

Gurugram, November 9

The magisterial inquiry in the Chintel Paradiso tower collapse has found both developer and flat-repairing contractor responsible for the mishap which claimed two lives in February this year.

Priority should be resettlement

We need a place to keep our children and belongings safe before they deal with structural issues. Get us our rightful dues so that we can buy homes. Priority should be resettlement and not just demolition. Pooja Aggarwal, a residents’ representative

The committee, headed by the ADC after investigating the matter for almost nine months, has upheld the IIT Delhi’s recommendations of not just demolishing the collapsed Tower D, but also to get the remaining towers A,B,C,E,F,G, H and J vacated till investigations are on.

Deputy Commissioner Nishant Yadav has ordered the demolition of Tower D, citing it beyond repair. He has also ordered the immediate evacuation of towers E and F, while orders are awaited for others. The committee found retrofitting in flat D 603 as the key trigger for the collapse and held both Chintel India Private Limited and M/s Manish Switchgear and construction responsible for the same.

“The developer neglected the demands and issues raised by the residents and the RWA. The corroded steel reinforcement was covered with yellow solution to conceal the corrosion. There is excessive chloride in concrete which has sped up the corrosion and the deterioration of concrete and the same signs of corrosion are visible in all towers. This is the root cause of the collapse. The Tower D should be immediately closed and developer should start immediate demolition of the same.The IIT report mentions as that all towers be vacated for residents’ safety till further investigations, and the committee agreeing with the same, wants

immediate directions to developer regarding the same,” read the report.

The report has highlighted that there were structural deficiencies in the overall structure of Tower D. It has also pointed out how both parties failed to monitor retrofitting on flat in D tower and no shuttering support was provided while carrying out the fittings.

Issuing the orders, DC Nishant Yadav stated that it wasevident that the structure of Tower D was not safe for habitation and due to high chloride content in the concrete throughout the structure. The structure is also not technically and economically feasible for any kind of repair •“Whereas the committee has brought to my notice that there is sagging of one of the balconies in Tower F and other distress on the floors of various other flats in Towers E & F. It has also recommended that the Towers F & E should also be vacated immediately for the safety of the residents. I order M/s Chintels India Ltd to close Tower D permanently and start the process for demolition. Further a direction is being issued to settle the dues/liabilities of the allottees/flat owners of Tower D of Chintels Paradiso housing complex Sector-I 09 Gurugram within a period of 60 days from the date of the issuance of this order,” read the order.

Though the modalities of the demolition are yet to be worked out, the administration has clarified that builder will bear the cost of the demolition. Highly placed sources claim that the agency hired to demolish twin towers in Noida had been approached for this demolition.

There are 18 floors in Tower D and around 50 flats. Tower E and F have 28 and 22 flats, respectively. The entire society is inhabited by 300 families.

Builder to bear demolition cost

• With demolition ordered for Tower D and evacuation for a majority of towers, over 300 families are left high and dry
• Having spent their life’s savings on flats, they are all set to be losers. The residents want their settlement and rehabilitation to be worked out before demolition or evacuation
• Though the modalities of the demolition are yet to be worked out, the administration has clarified that builder will bear the cost of the demolition
• The agency hired to demolish twin towers in Noida has been approached for the work