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Mohali: Security concerns at Purab Premium Apartments deepen as woman gets assaulted
A day after a 28-year-old woman died by suicide after jumping off the 14th floor at Purab Premium Apartments in Sector 88, Mohali, after an argument with a male friend, three Zirakpur women assaulted a woman at the society late on Wednesday evening
A day after a 28-year-old woman died by suicide after jumping off the 14th floor at Purab Premium Apartments in Sector 88 after an argument with a male friend, three Zirakpur women assaulted a woman at the society late on Wednesday evening.
This has triggered panic among residents who say that the society, which was once considered a safe haven, is becoming an increasingly dangerous place to live in and incidents of drunken hooliganism, harassment, and now assault have become common, but the authorities have completely failed to tackle them.
The assault forced residents to call the police, who took the suspects into custody and later released them. Station house officer of Sohana police station, Gurjit Singh, said that they will register a case.
The 28-year-old woman who had ended her life a day earlier was a resident of Sector 52, but was staying with her male friend at the society. Police have booked the male friend for abetment of suicide and he is still absconding.
Even notorious gangster Jaspreet Singh Jassi, who was shot dead in an encounter at Kolkata in June last year, frequented the society to meet his fiancée. In January 2019, police arrested three youths in a case of attempt to murder after they opened fire at a resident of Purab Apartments in Sohana.
Poor facilities, unsafe surroundings, and the absence of a security system have made the ₹750-crore project untouchable among prospective buyers. A lack of interest by the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) has been one of the key reasons behind the downfall of the 15-storey housing project .
Out of the total 1,620 flats, built-in three categories, almost half of the building is empty, and going by the past record, is unlikely to fill up in the future, too. Of the total flats, 954 have been allotted, but only 600 families are residing there. Also, 186 units are either surrendered by the allottees or unsold, while 480 dwellings are still not ready for allotment.
Colonel Dalwinder Singh (retd), a resident of Purab Premium Apartments, said, “The project was publicised as a dream project with world-class amenities, but now it has become difficult to live here. We have been raising the issues with police, administration and GMADA regularly, but nothing has been done so far, he said.
Another resident, Parwinder Singh, said residents feel insecure as many tenants are staying as paying guests and create a ruckus. “Many tenants stay here without proper rent agreements or police verification and some have even shown forged documents,” he added.
16 months on, vigilance yet to submit quality report
The vigilance bureau (VB) had in December 2019 taken samples of material used in the construction of Purab Premium Apartments, but is yet to submit its report.
In 2018, members of the Purab Premium Allottee Association had lodged a complaint with the VB alleging that the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) had used sub-standard material for the construction of the apartments.
Whatever they promised in the brochure before they had invited applications were not there in the detailed notice inviting tenders (DNIT), they said. They had also alleged major financial irregularity during the construction, following which the samples were taken.
Harvinder Pal Singh, DSP vigilance said, “We have got results of most of the samples and now the technical team is verifying it. We are hopeful of getting them soon, following which action will be taken.”
