Chintels: District admin takes steps to get Tower H vacated at once

The Gurugram deputy commissioner said they have now issued directions under DMA to around 16 families, who are residing at the tower

The district administration on Monday said it has invoked the Disaster Management Act, 2005 to get tower H of the Chintels Paradiso condominium complex in Sector 109 vacated within the next 15 days.

Chintels Paradiso condominium has nine residential towers and the state government had ordered structural audit of the condominium after six floors of the Tower D collapsed partially on February 10 last year, killing two women residents. (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

Gurugram deputy commissioner Nishant Yadav said tower H has been deemed unsafe for habitation by experts of IIT-Delhi in June this year and the occupants were asked to vacate their flats. The deputy commissioner said they have now issued directions under DMA to around 16 families, who are residing at the tower.

Chintels Paradiso condominium has nine residential towers and the state government had ordered structural audit of the condominium after six floors of the Tower D collapsed partially on February 10 last year, killing two women residents.

The district administration has till date declared towers D, E, F, G, and H unsafe on the recommendations of the technical experts from IIT-Delhi. The structural audit report on tower H reached the district administration in June this year, and deemed the tower unsafe for habitation.

“We have invoked the Disaster Management Act to ensure that the families that are still occupying the flats vacate their residences at the earliest. The district administration is also working to ensure that the compensation or refund is paid by the builder to the 288 affected buyers in the five towers at the earliest,” said Yadav.

The deputy commissioner said around 100 owners till date have been given the refund while they are making efforts to ensure that by the month end, at least half the affected owners are refunded.

According to the structural audit report submitted to the district administration, “there is rapid and widespread corrosion of reinforcement throughout the structure”.

Given the high chloride content in the concrete almost throughout the structure, a repair was neither technically nor economically feasible. In the current condition due to the rapid corrosion of reinforcement due to presence of chlorides the structure is not safe for habitation.”

The Chintels Paradiso residents’ welfare association (RWA) said the administration should expedite the payment of refund and also ensure that those owners who want reconstruction of their homes be given a flat in lieu of their damaged property. “The owners are getting a refund but the administration should also ensure that those living in four other towers don’t face shortage of services and amenities,” he said.

“We have already extended a settlement offer to all residents of Phase 1 of Chintels Paradiso. We welcome the administration’s decision to get the towers vacated. This is for their own safety and our priority has always been residents’ safety. Refund to 118 residents are in various stages -- 56 have received a full refund, 43 have received 10% of the amount while 19 others have signed consent forms,” said JN Yadav, vice-president, Chintels India.