DTCP asks Chintels to get Tower H vacated at once

The builder, Chintels India Limited, agreed to buy back the unsafe flats at the rate of ₹6,500 per square foot, plus other charges such as stamp duty and the cost of interior works carried out by the buyer

The department of town and country planning (DTCP) on Wednesday issued directions to Chintels India Ltd, the developer of Chintels Paradiso condominium in Sector 109 to get the Tower H vacated immediately as the structural audit report submitted by IIT-Delhi experts have deemed the tower unsafe for habitation.

Gurugram, India-July 27, 2023: Chintels Paradiso condominium located at sector-109 near Dwarka Expressway; DTCP issues directions to get Tower H vacated, owners demands fresh evaluation, in Gurugram, India, on Thursday, 27 July 2023. (Photo by Parveen Kumar/Hindustan Times)(Pic to go with Abhishek's story)

The audit report of Tower H, submitted by IIT-Delhi experts last month, said there is presence of chloride in large amounts in the concrete used to construct the tower, and that has caused corrosion of reinforcements, thereby making the structure unsafe for habitation.

The builder, Chintels India Limited, agreed to buy back the unsafe flats at the rate of ₹6,500 per square foot, plus other charges such as stamp duty and the cost of interior works carried out by the buyer.

The Chintels Paradiso residents’ welfare association said towers D, E and F have already been vacated while around 12 families are staying in Tower G and 15 families in Tower H.

The flat owners and families are ready to vacate their flats but they are demanding that the valuation of flats be done again as the previous valuation was carried out last year. A number of owners are also demanding that the builder reinstate option two -- of reconstructing flats and delivering them to owners -- and also offer owners rent in the interim, the RWA said.

The need to frequently repair the structures, as reported by residents, also appears to have been caused by corrosion of steel reinforcements due to the presence of chlorides, said the district town planner. “Poor quality concrete also played a role in the deterioration. Given the high chloride content in the concrete almost throughout the structure, a repair of these structures for safe usage is not 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 order said.

Yadav further directed the builder to get the premises and flats of Tower H vacated immediately as living in these towers poses a threat to life. The order further said the needful must be done in the prescribed time limit and any lapse will lead to legal action.

The Chintels Paradiso RWA said they want the valuation of towers to be done again and rent for 11 months paid to those who have to leave their flats for no fault of theirs. “We also want option two, which provides for reconstruction of flats, to be reinstated and rent paid to those who opt for that,” said a RWA representative.

When asked about the matter, a spokesperson for Chintels India Ltd said,” It is not true that the valuation is a year old. In fact, the rate proposed by authorities last year was less and it was subsequently increased. The rate that we are offering is very recent and is higher than the current market value.”

The developer extended the buyback offer to flat owners of Tower H on July 21.

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 declared Tower D, E, F and G and H unsafe on the recommendations of the technical experts from IIT-Delhi.

High chloride content found in towers B, C

The district administration on Wednesday issued directions to Chintels India Ltd to get structural audit of towers B and C done by another independent agency, preferably Central Building Research Institute (CBRI), and suggest rehabilitation measures so that effect of corrosion could be prevented, and the structures could be saved from further damage.

The structural audit report of towers B and C submitted by experts from IIT-Delhi has observed that towers B and C are safe for habitation at present, but due to high chloride content in the concrete throughout the structures, they will deteriorate in the near future.

In such a situation, the IIT-Delhi experts have recommended that if the CBRI audit also finds that the structures are safe for present but will deteriorate in future then the builder must get yearly structural audit of tower B and C through one of the four empaneled structure audit consultants with the DTCP.

The directions issued by the district town planner on behalf of the district administration on Thursday said, “The structural audit report shall be shared by the builder with RWA as well as DTP office. In case of adverse structural audit reports, the builder shall compensate the owners in the same way as of other towers which have been declared unsafe for habitation. In the meantime, the builder as well as residents shall not undertake any structural repair without the permission of the administration.”