DTCP asks Gurugram builders to carry out excavation with safety measures

The directions were issued after a five-storey building in DLF Phase 3 tilted on Monday, creating panic among residents, after digging work was carried out in an adjacent plot. In order to prevent the building from collapsing, the department had to deploy two cranes to support it

The department of town and country planning (DTCP) has issued directions to developers and contractors in all licenced colonies to take adequate precautions while carrying out digging or excavation work.

The tilted five-storey building in DLF Phase 3. (Parveen Kumar/ HT)

The directions were issued after a five-storey building in DLF Phase 3 tilted on Monday, creating panic among residents, after digging work was carried out in an adjacent plot. In order to prevent the building from collapsing, the department had to deploy two cranes to support it.

Manish Yadav, district town planner (enforcement) said directions have been issued to developers to ensure that digging work is carried out in the presence of an architect and structural engineer after taking due precautions. “During the rainy season, digging and excavation work must be done with utmost care. There have been instances where buildings tilted after digging work in adjacent plots,” he said.

Apart from taking measures to ensure safe excavation, the department will also conduct a survey next month to find out the number of sites where excavation work is being carried out, officials said.

“A team will be constituted next week to inspect the plots and we will also seek information from plot owners who are carrying out construction or digging work. The survey will be conducted in a month,” said Yadav.

The department also said that it is closely coordinating with the disaster management department to ensure that response is quick in case a building tilt.

“As soon as information of tilting was received from the building at DLF Phase 3, I went to the spot with a team and steps were taken to get the building vacated. Two earthmoving machines were pressed into service to support the tilted building,” Yadav added.

Notices have been issued to the owner of the five-storey building as well as the adjacent plot owner at DLF Phase 3 to carry out structural audits and also to stop all excavation work.

Incidentally, in 2020, three buildings tilted during the monsoon after digging work was carried out in adjacent plots in sectors 27, 46 and 47.