Building tilt upends lives: Evacuated families face uncertain wait to return home

A dozen families evacuated from three residential buildings after an under-construction building tilted following deep excavation on an adjoining plot said they had no clarity on when they could return home

A dozen families evacuated from three residential buildings after an under-construction building tilted following deep excavation on an adjoining plot said they had no clarity on when they could return home.

The five-storey building, C1770, tilted by 2.5 inches on Monday evening. Authorities deployed two cranes to support it, sealed the area and evacuated three neighbouring buildings as a precaution. Residents left with little more than daily essentials, clothes and medicines. (Representative photo)

The five-storey building, C1770, tilted by 2.5 inches on Monday evening. Authorities deployed two cranes to support it, sealed the area and evacuated three neighbouring buildings as a precaution. Residents left with little more than daily essentials, clothes and medicines.

Avani, who vacated her flat in C1768 on Tuesday, said she and her friend barely had time to pack a bag. “We don’t even know whom to contact for updates or when we can return to our normal lives,” she said.

Tarun Chopra, who left the same building with his wife, minor son and elderly mother, questioned who would pay their hotel bills.

“This crisis arose from the plot owner’s negligence. It may take up to a month before we can return home, but the fear will remain,” he said.

Gaurav Rampall, who vacated his flat in C1771 with his wife and two children, said they initially considered a hotel in Gurugram but moved to his parents’ home in Saket, Delhi.

“Our personal and professional lives have been badly affected. My son, who attends LKG at a school in Sector 62, and our seven-month-old daughter are the worst affected. His travel time to school has doubled overnight,” he said.

Rampall said he expected a resolution to take at least 15–20 days. The affected families were pressing the plot owner for a permanent solution, he added.

Police and district administration officials said excavation to a depth of 8.5 feet at C1769 had exposed the entire foundation of the adjoining building. A Department of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) inspection found that the plot owner lacked permission for excavation to that depth, they said.

“The excavation needed to be only four to five feet deep and carried out in phases, with measurements to avoid exposing the entire foundation at once. Instead, an 8.5-foot-deep trench was dug along the building’s entire length using a JCB machine, damaging it,” said a police official, citing DTCP engineers.

Two DTCP engineers inspected the site and seized construction materials, including rebars, to prevent further excavation or construction without clearance.

Officials suspected the owner was planning a basement and had rushed the excavation to avoid detection.

Shakti Thakral, owner of the damaged building, said finishing work was underway and one family had planned to move in before Diwali.

“Now, we don’t know when we will be able to move in. I cannot undertake any work on my property until disaster management and DTCP officials give clearance,” he said.

Thakral said a dilapidated three-storey building on the adjoining plot had recently been demolished to make way for a new one.

“I had my building constructed without damaging the old property. But its owner did not even alert me before carrying out deep excavation negligently,” he said.

Anshul Gogia, the owner of the plot on which the tilted building stands, said that all the construction and excavation work at the site was being carried out with due permission. Refuting the allegations of deep excavation, Gogia said that trench they dug was only five feet and two inches deep. “DTCP engineers will inspect the site and inform us about what had made the building tilt,” he added.