Ceiling collapses in Gurugram condo basement, damages parked car

Residents said they had flagged repeated plaster falls for two years and demanded a structural audit. The maintenance agency said repairs will be carried out.

A portion of the ceiling in the basement parking of a condominium in Sector 102A collapsed early Monday, damaging a parked car and fueling concerns over the structural safety and maintenance of the residential complex, residents said.

The incident occurred at H Tower. Residents alleged similar incidents have occurred before and questioned maintenance despite paying up to ₹25,000 monthly. (HT)

The incident took place at H Tower of Adani Oyster Grande. Residents claimed similar occurrences have been reported in the past. Kamal Malhotra, a resident of the complex, said that just three days ago, a portion of plaster fell from the balcony of a ninth-floor flat on G Tower.

“We have been raising these concerns with the maintenance team for the past two years. Residents are living at risk. A major accident was averted this time, and fortunately only the car was damaged,” he said.

HT reached out to an Adani Group spokesperson for comment, but did not receive a response till the time of publication.

A section of the roof fell onto a parked vehicle early Monday. No one was injured. The builder did not respond to queries till publication. (HT)

RWA vice-president Alka Malhotra said, “Residents pay a monthly maintenance charge ranging from ₹17,000 to ₹25,000 with the expectation that the premises will be maintained properly and kept safe. Despite these hefty charges, incidents of plaster collapse have only increased, raising serious concerns about maintenance quality and the structural condition of the buildings.”

Malhotra said residents have demanded structural audits of the building. “It is unacceptable that residents continue to live under the fear of such accidents. The builder and maintenance agency must conduct a comprehensive structural audit and fix these issues before a tragedy occurs,” she said.

Residents said the incident “exposed” poor construction quality and inadequate maintenance, pointing out that the residential complex is only around six years old. They questioned how the buildings would fare over the next 15 to 20 years if such incidents were already occurring.

Govind Deswal, estate manager of Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), which is responsible for the building’s maintenance, said he was not aware of the matter and will get in touch with the team. “We will get it checked and all repairs will be done,” Deswal said.