3 balconies collapse in same Chintels tower one year later

DTCP directed the developer to barricade the unsafe area, but residents opposed it and did not let it finish the barricading work

Three balconies of flats located in Tower D of Chintels Paradiso in Gurugram’s Sector 109 collapsed on Sunday evening — the same tower which partially collapsed last year, resulting in the death of two women. However, no one was injured in Sunday’s incident, officials aware of the matter said on Tuesday.

Balcony of a flat in Tower D of Chintels Paradiso on Tuesday. (HT Photo)

According to Chintels India Ltd, balconies of the third, fourth, and fifth floors of Tower D partially collapsed at 5pm on Sunday.

Following the collapse, the department of town and country planning (DTCP) directed the developer on Monday to barricade the unsafe towers and restrict entry into the unsafe area. However, on Tuesday morning when the builder began barricading the space, some residents of Tower C opposed it saying they were not consulted about the matter and that the barricading was not being done according to the directions of the district administration.

A representative of the developer said the residents did not allow them to finish the barricading work, and they had to leave it incomplete.

On February 10, 2022, two women were killed after Tower D partially collapsed from the sixth floor downwards. DTCP then ordered a structural audit of the entire complex, which comprises nine towers. According to the report submitted by the experts from Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, five of the nine towers were declared unsafe and will be demolished by the developer.

These five towers are Towers D, E, F, G, and H. They have 288 flats, which have been vacated; however, 15 families at present are putting up in Towers G and H, which they will have to vacate soon, according to the district administration.

Esther Kar, a former bureaucrat and an apartment owner who opposed the barricading on Tuesday, said the developer has not consulted the residents’ welfare association and has not sought its permission to barricade the park. “The direction of the administration was to consult with RWA before barricading but it did not happen. The flat owners of Towers A, B, C, and J have an equal share in the common area and they must be consulted and taken into confidence before doing any barricading since it was decided that only the towers would be barricaded and the park would not be covered, but this is not happening,” she said.

Another resident said that instead of taking a piecemeal approach, the builder should hold a discussion with residents and also share the detailed project report as to how they plan to go about the reconstruction. “There is serious mistrust between the owners and the developer after what has happened in the past and it needs to be resolved. If the park is barricaded, where will the children play?” he said

The developer said that the barricading was being carried out with permission from the district administration and DTCP. “There is a threat to the lives of people and the collapse of balconies is an indicator that the structure is not safe. We have discussed the matter with the RWA as well but the residents are not listening to us. We have now stopped barricading and informed the authorities about the situation. We have also sought police protection to carry out the barricading. We have also submitted that in case of any emergency, we should not be held responsible,” said JN Yadav, vice president of Chintels India Ltd.

Yadav added that they have agreed to revive the option of offering home against home, as directed by the district administration and demanded by owners. “We are also paying the fair market price to owners as decided by the district administration. We appeal to the residents and the authorities to cooperate with us,” he said.

Manish Yadav, district town planner, enforcement, said they know about the issues raised by the residents and the district committee probing the incident will consider them as soon as possible. “The department and the district administration are trying their best to ensure that flat owners get compensation at the earliest and those opting for a home also get it. This matter will be discussed and resolved at the earliest,” he said.

A representative of the Chintels Paradiso RWA said authorities should consult both sides and should be present on the scene when any action such as barricading occurs. “The interests of the residents and overall safety and security should be the prime considerations while deciding this matter,” he said, asking not to be named.

Hitesh Meena, additional deputy commissioner of Gurugram, who heads the district committee probing the matter, said barricading will ensure the safety and security of residents. “The barricading has to be done in consultation with RWA and residents. We will ensure the issues raised by residents are resolved but there can be no compromise on safety,” he said.