Gurugram's civic body declares Chintels Tower J dangerous, directs builder to raze it within three months

Tower J is the sixth of the nine towers in Gurugram’s Chintels Paradiso housing complex to be cleared for demolition

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has declared Tower J of the Chintels Paradiso residential complex in Sector 109 “dangerous” and directed the developer to demolish it within three months at its own cost, risk and responsibility.

The order cited a structural assessment by IIT Delhi that found the tower unsafe for habitation. A district-level committee that examined the assessment also recommended its demolition. (HT Archive)

Tower J is the sixth of the complex’s nine towers to receive clearance for demolition. Five of the nine towers — D, E, F, G and H — have already been demolished.

In an order issued on October 30, MCG commissioner Pradeep Dahiya directed Chintels India Pvt Ltd to engage a competent, technically qualified agency for the demolition and comply with all statutory and safety requirements before commencing work. The order follows the developer’s request to the district authorities for permission to demolish the tower.

“In pursuance of the above issuance of Tower-J being dangerous building, M/s Chintels India Pvt. Ltd., being the owner/developer, is hereby directed to demolish the entire structure of Tower-J through a competent and technically qualified demolition agency at its own cost, risk and responsibility,” the order said.

Invoking Section 265(2) of the Haryana Municipal Corporation Act, 1994, the civic body said the tower was in a ruinous and structurally unsafe condition, posing a danger to residents, visitors and people passing nearby.

The order cited a structural assessment by IIT Delhi that found the tower unsafe for habitation. A district-level committee that examined the assessment also recommended its demolition.

It also referred to an incident on January 12, 2024, when a portion of a balcony in Tower J collapsed, underscoring concerns about the building’s structural safety.

The commissioner cited a Supreme Court order dated September 3 that acknowledged the unsafe condition of the affected towers and directed that towers declared unsafe be vacated by January 1, 2027.

MCG has directed the developer to immediately install barricades and fencing around Tower J, display warning boards, restrict unauthorised entry and deploy security personnel round the clock.

Chintels Tower J demolition: MCG nod, C&D waste plan and CAQM compliance mandatory

Before beginning demolition, the company must obtain MCG approval for its construction and demolition (C&D) waste management plan, register on the corporation’s C&D waste portal and comply with the applicable waste management rules. It must also follow pollution-control directions issued by the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM).

The developer has also entered into settlements with homeowners following Supreme Court directions. In its September 3 order, the court directed the developer to reconstruct the complex within four years and pay rent to eligible homeowners.

JN Yadav, vice-president of Chintels, confirmed that the company had received permission to demolish Tower J.

“All safety and pollution norms will be followed during the demolition of the structure as directions issued by authorities,” he said.

Chintels Paradiso came under scrutiny after a portion of Tower D collapsed on February 10, 2022, killing two people.