Developer to find flats, pay rent for residents of four other Chintels towers

After working out the specifics of the preliminary rehabilitation of families who lived in Tower D in Chintels Paradiso condominium where multiple ceilings collapsed on February 10, the committee probing the matter has asked the developer to identify flats in surrounding areas, within the next few days, to shift families living in Towers E, F, G and H till a structural audit report of the buildings is readied by IIT Delhi

After working out the specifics of the preliminary rehabilitation of families who lived in Tower D in Chintels Paradiso condominium where multiple ceilings collapsed on February 10, the committee probing the matter has asked the developer to identify flats in surrounding areas, within the next few days, to shift families living in Towers E, F, G and H till a structural audit report of the buildings is readied by IIT Delhi.

Gurugram, India - Feb. 12, 2022: A woman caring belonging at the Chintels Prasdiso in sector 109 , where roofs of four floors collapsed on Thursday, in Gurugram, India, on Saturday, February 12, 2022. (Photo by Vipin Kumar / Hindustan Times) (Vipin Kumar /HT PHOTO)

The collapse of multiple ceilings in the condominium had led to the death of two residents, following which the Haryana government had constituted a committee to conduct a structural audit of the buildings and investigate the reasons for the mishap.

Authorities said that the IIT Delhi team has told the committee it will ready the report in two months.

The developer will bear the rent for the new flats as well as shifting charges, officials said, adding these matters were discussed in a meeting with the condominium residents on Monday evening.

RS Bhath, district town planner, enforcement, and a member of the committee, said, “We have asked the developer to work out modalities for the payment of rent and shifting charges till the IIT team finalises its report.The developer has also been asked to find flats on lease for these residents.”

Following the February 10 incident, residents from various condominiums in Gurugram protested and demanded a high-level inquiry into the matter as well as a structural audit of high-rises in the city. Residents of Chintels Paradiso are still protesting against authorities and demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the collapse.

According to DTCP officials, there are 100 families living in these towers, 70 of whom are owners. “There is some disagreement on the issue as most of the owners don’t want to shift outside the condominium and want flats inside the complex, but we have appealed to them to move, because of safety issues. Once the report comes there will be more clarity on what needs to be done,” Bhath said.

Bhath said that two teams have also been appointed to carry out a valuation of the flats and interiors in Tower D. “These flats will be evaluated to record the exact value of the property,” said Bhath.

A spokesperson for Chintels said, “We are cooperating with the DTCP to work out rental and rehabilitation arrangements for the affected residents until the structural audit is complete and necessary repair work is undertaken. We are also in the process of engaging experts from leading institutions such as IIT to conduct structural audits of our other projects viz Chintels Serenity, Chintels Corporate Park and Nora Solomon Medicenter at our own expense at the earliest.”

The developer has also proposed that the company buy back the flats in Tower D at 9% interest. It has also proposed swapping flats in Tower D with flats in other projects. “We are discussing these proposals with the residents,” Bhath said.

Rakesh Hooda, president, Chintels Paradiso residents’ welfare association said that they are not satisfied with the buyback offer, and are instead seeking replacement cost. “The rent being offered is not as per the market rate. The shifting charges being paid are too less at ₹10,000. We have asked for payment of ₹35,000 as shifting charges and ₹1 lakh one-time payment for the inconvenience. We should be shifted only to a Chintels property,” he said, adding that there is still a long way to go to resolve all issues.