Gurugram residents demand a structural audit of tilted structure

Gurugram residents seek time-bound independent structural audit of Sector 31 building that developed cracks and tilted amid excavation on an adjoining plot

Three days after a four-storey building in Sector 31 developed cracks and tilted amid excavation on an adjoining plot, residents have demanded a time-bound independent structural audit to determine whether the damaged structure can be repaired or must be demolished.

While police have deployed two cranes to support the tilted building, residents said that immediate safety measures did little to address their concerns about what would happen next.

While police have deployed two cranes to support the tilted building, residents said that immediate safety measures did little to address their concerns about what would happen next.

“The building is currently supported by cranes, but that cannot be the solution. We need an independent structural audit to establish the extent of the damage and a clear timeline for the corrective action,” a neighbour, who received an evacuation notice from the police, told HT.

Meanwhile, the Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) on Saturday issued a notice to the builder who was undertaking construction at the adjacent plot.

A senior HSVP official told HT, “Under relevant building codes, if damage is caused to property or lives during construction, the construction party is required to halt work until the matter is resolved. We have issued a notice to the builder to stop construction accordingly. Further action will be taken in accordance with the law.”

On Friday, at least four families were evacuated from the six-year-old building at plot number 769. Families living in three neighbouring buildings were also issued evacuation notices as a precaution.

While talking to HT on Saturday, residents said the notices did not come with a clear plan for assessing the risk, arranging longer-term safety measures and determining when the affected families could return.

Residents also sought clarity on who will undertake the building’s repair work and bear its cost. They alleged that excavation using a JCB machine on the adjoining plot caused vibrations and weakened the building’s support.

The precise cause and extent of the damage require a technical assessment.

“We were just asked by the authorities to evacuate our house, but where do we go? Who will bear the cost of relocation and for how long?” said the neighbour quoted above, requesting the authorities to ensure strong measures.

According to police, the building developed cracks measuring around 1 to 1.5 inches and was unsafe. Police said construction on the adjoining plot has been halted, barricades erected and personnel deployed to prevent people from entering the affected structure. Civic authorities were also alerted.

The incident is the latest in a series of building-safety scares in Gurugram linked to excavation on adjoining plots. Earlier this week, a five-storey building in Sushant Lok-I developed cracks and tilted after excavation began on a neighbouring plot. At least 12 families were evacuated initially, while subsequent reports said 14 families from four neighbouring buildings remained displaced.

The department of town and country planning (DTCP) put the adjoining plot’s building-plan approval on hold and directed its owner to engage an empanelled structural engineer to stabilise the damaged structure and submit an action-taken report within 24 hours.

Another building in Sushant Lok-III was also reported to have tilted following excavation on an adjoining plot. The district administration asked the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) to assess whether the structure should be declared unsafe and demolished.

The problem is not new. In June 2023, a five-storey building in DLF Phase 3 tilted after excavation on a neighbouring plot. DTCP issued notices, ordered the building to be vacated and directed that its structural safety be assessed by a government-empanelled expert.