Mandate structural audit for stilt apartments: Gurugram RWAs to TCP Dept

Sumedha Sharma

Gurugram, February 4

Resident welfare associations (RWAs) in Gurugram have moved the Town and Country Planning (TCP) Department, seeking a mandate for structural safety certificates for apartmentalised housing in residential areas.

They have demanded that owners of all the stilt plus four and stilt plus three houses

in the city be asked to undergo structural audits and submit a safety certificate before they are given completion certificates or sewerage and water connections.

The RWAs claim that safety concerns have been overlooked in a majority of these apartments, which poses a risk to the lives of not only apartment residents but also their neighbours. “Keeping in view the increased earthquake tremors and seismic status of Gurugram, these buildings need to be secure and sturdy,” said Praveen Yadav, president, United Gurugram RWAs.

Yadav said one could see poor construction being carried out across the city, especially in colonies constructed by builders, who try to save money at times even at the cost of quality of work.

“Within months there is seepage and cracks, often leading to cracks in neighbouring houses. As high-rises are getting evaluated, we demand that multi-story apartment houses, especially stilt structures, are also audited and allowed to be inhabited only when declared safe,” Yadav added.

Meanwhile, structural audit of societies is stuck as only one of the 23 societies have paid their share for the same. According to the agreement, besides the builder, residents or the resident welfare association also have to pay a part of the cost for conducting audit.

According to a notice issued by the district administration, these societies were identified for inspection in the first phase and a visual audit has already been done.

The Gurugram administration committee, headed by ADC Hitesh Meena, said builders and residents of 22 societies have not paid their due so far, which has delayed the entire process. A notice has been issued to the societies concerned in this regard.

The ADC said, “The visual audit of these societies revealed a need for structural audit. We enlisted best of the agencies and conducted a swift visual audit. The builder and the RWAs need to pay the amount as agreed in order for us to proceed to the next step.”

“The RWAs are not ready to do so and even builders don’t want to bear the full cost. We have issued notices to them to ensure the process is not stalled any further. It’s a meagre amount, but safety is being compromised for it,” said Meena.

According to the administration, the residents or RWAs would have to pay between Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 for each unit depending on the flat size, but a majority are refusing to do so.

“Why should residents bear the brunt? The builder constructed a poor quality building and the administration sanctioned the projects. So the onus to ensure our safety is on them. All the 23 societies are in a poor state and were thus prioritised. Prima facie it is builder’s fault and thus he needs to pay up or the administration should,” assert residents of the societies concerned.

Builders/administration should bear cost

• According to the agreement, besides the builder, residents or the resident welfare association have to pay a part of the cost for conducting audits.
• Residents or the RWA concerned will have to pay between Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 for each unit depending on the flat size, but a majority are refusing to do so.
• Builders and residents of 22 societies have not paid their due so far, which has delayed the entire process, said the administration committee.
• “RWAs are not willing to pay & builders don’t want to bear the full cost. It’s a meagre amount, but safety is being compromised for it,” said ADC Hitesh Meena.
• Residents of these societies have said that the builder or the administration should pay the amount.
• While the builder constructed poor quality building, the administration sanctioned the projects, thus the onus to ensure our safety is on them, residents added.