Gurugram: Residents of 80 residential societies want structural audit

Gurugram: Residents of least 80 residential societies in the city are facing structural issues in their buildings, according to the data compiled by Dwarka Expressway Association (DXP) and Making Model Gurgaon, a platform for residents’ welfare associations (RWAs), the civil society and administrators to resolve matters of governance and grievances, over the last one week

Gurugram: Residents of least 80 residential societies in the city are facing structural issues in their buildings, according to the data compiled by Dwarka Expressway Association (DXP) and Making Model Gurgaon, a platform for residents’ welfare associations (RWAs), the civil society and administrators to resolve matters of governance and grievances, over the last one week. The RWAs of the 80 societies have detailed their issues, which will be sent to the Haryana chief minister and deputy chief minister on Thursday, requesting their intervention in the structural audit and repairs, association members said.

Gurugram, India - February 16, 2022: Residents sit on hunger strike at the Chintels Paradiso premises demanding action against the builder in Gurugram, India, on Wednesday, February 16, 2022. Ceilings of a few apartments in Tower D had collapsed on Thursday, February 10 at the Chintel's Paradiso. (Photo by Vipin Kumar/ Hindustan Times) (Vipin Kumar/HT PHOTO)

Yashesh Yadav, president, Dwarka Expressway (DXP) Welfare Association, claimed that over 50 residential societies located around Dwarka Expressway are poorly constructed. “We started this campaign and will submit a copy of the details to the deputy chief minister,” he said.

Gauri Sarin, the founder of Making Model Gurgaon,said that the incident at Chintels Paradiso in Sector 109--wherein multiple ceilings in Tower D collapsed on February 10, killing two people--has disturbed residents of all high-rises in the city. “The department of town and country planning (DTCP) and Haryana Real Estate Regulatory Authority are the two bodies buyers can turn to, and both have disappointed us. We have compiled a list of projects which have structural issues. We have also put together a few recommendations which might help mitigate the concerns of buyers and residents,” she said.

Brisk Lumbini is one of the 80 societies where residents are concerned about structural issues.

“Brisk Lumbini is full of defects due to poor construction despite the ostensible use of good materials on paper. We need an infrastructure audit from the DTCP to pinpoint the deficiencies. There is seepage in basement , cracks in the staircase, ramp, and basement. Also, concrete is falling off many balconies,” said Manoj Tiwari, a resident of Brisk Lumbini in Sector 109.

Meanwhile, a representative of the developer said that the project has been handed over to the RWA and now it is their responsibility to maintain it. “When we handed over the project, there were no issues, but RWA did not maintain it and they should be held responsible for the same,” said an official spokesperson of Brisk Lumbini.

A member of the Brisk Lumbini RWA, however, refuted the developer’s claim, and said, “The developer did not hand over any physical asset properly. We have had several issues with fire NOCs, the STP, basement seepage, etc., and have kept the developer in the loop about the critical deficiencies. We will fight for justice,” he said, requesting anonymity.

Residents of Vatika Seven Lamps in Sector 82 have similar concerns. Suvankar Banerjee, a resident of the society, alleged that there were weak columns, slabs, and pillars due to chronic basement seepage in the buildings, and they had complained several times, but to no avail.

However, a spokesperson of Vatika Ltd insisted that stringent quality control measures had been adopted during the construction including sampling of concrete and conducting of cube strength tests (besides other tests). “The buildings were completed five years ago, and are being maintained regularly through professional and well-trained facilities management team,” he said

RS Bhath, town country planner, enforcement, said that they had received the list of societies compiled by the residents and they will ensure the issues are resolved at the earliest. “We will call a meeting with the residents and developers and give the developers a deadline to resolve the issues,” he said.