IIT experts recommend Tower G unsafe for habitation, Tower A safe for now

Experts from IIT-Delhi have declared Tower G at the Chintels Paradiso condominium in Gurugram unsafe for habitation, according to a structural audit report presented to the district committee investigating the collapse of six floors in Tower D. The committee has recommended annual structural audits and sharing reports with the Residents Welfare Association. Towers E and F have already been declared unsafe, with occupants ordered to vacate them, and Tower D is to be demolished. The state government has ordered a CBI investigation into the collapse, which killed two women residents.

Gurugram: Experts from IIT-Delhi have declared another tower at the Chintels Paradiso condominium unsafe for habitation, the district administration said on Friday.

IIT experts recommend Tower G unsafe for habitation, Tower A safe for now

The administration tabled a structural audit report by IIT-Delhi experts before the district committee that is probing the collapse of six floors in Tower D of the condominium on February 10, 2022. Additional deputy commissioner, Hitesh Meena, said the experts have declared Tower A safe, but Tower G unsafe for residential purposes.

He added that the committee has recommended that structural audits should be conducted every year, and the reports should be shared with the Residents Welfare Association (RWA).

Six floors in Tower D of Chintels Paradiso condominium collapsed partially on February 10, 2022, in which two women residents were killed. Following the incident, the state government had ordered a district administration probe, which led to the administration seeking a structural audit of the entire complex and the government later recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe, which is currently under way.

Following the structural audit report submitted by experts from IIT Delhi, the district administration on January 29 this year had said that Tower D will be demolished while Towers E and F are also unsafe for habitation and must be vacated. On May 15 the district administration invoked the section 144 and disaster management act 2005, and directed occupants of Tower E and F to vacate the flats at the earliest else criminal action will be initiated against them, the order said.

According to the district administration, there are 56 flats in Tower G and 34 families are living in this building. In tower A, there are 63 flats out of which 60 are occupied.

Meena said the structural audit report said that the level of Chloride content in the structure is high. “The process to vacate the Tower G will be initiated soon and evaluation of the interiors will also be carried out. We are working to ensure that settlement is completed as soon as possible,” he said.

The district administration said the reports of five out of nine residential towers have been submitted, and of these towers D,E, F and G have been declared unsafe while Tower A has been deemed safer. The report for tower B, C, H and J are yet to be submitted, said officials.

The Chintels Paradiso RWA said they have not received a copy of the report, and added that they will comment on after going through the details. “We will comment after going through the detail,” said Sandeep Barsaiyan, a member of the RWA.

A spokesperson for Chintels India said,“We are yet to receive official report of these two towers from the district administration. We will wait for CBRI report before reaching any conclusion.”