Chintels: High chloride content in concrete, finds Tower H audit report

In view of the finding, experts from IIT-Delhi have recommended that this tower in not fit for habitation and needs to be vacated, residents said

The structural audit report of Tower H of Chintels Paradiso condominium in Sector 109 -- it is yet to be formally shared with the residents by the district administration -- states that there is high chloride content in the concrete of the tower, and that has caused the corrosion of the reinforcement throughout the structure, said residents who managed to get hold of a copy of the report.

Taking cognizance of the report, developer Chintels India Limited on July 21 offered to buy back flats from the 15 owners in Tower H. (HT Archive)

In view of the finding, experts from IIT-Delhi have recommended that this tower in not fit for habitation and needs to be vacated, residents said, quoting the report.

The district administration has already announced that towers D, E, F and G as unsafe for habitation and Tower H has become the fifth one to be deemed unsafe. The report of Tower J is yet to come in, said officials.

Taking cognizance of the report, developer Chintels India Limited on July 21 offered to buy back flats from the 15 owners in Tower H.

The recommendation part of the report, which has been obtained by residents unofficially, states that the corrosion that was visually observed in the reinforcement is due to the presence of chlorides in the concrete. The range of chloride content measured indicates that there is high chloride content in most of the concrete used in the structure.

“Due to the widespread presence of chlorides in the structure and lack of chlorides in the air to which the buildings are exposed, it can be deduced that chlorides were present in the concrete at the time of production,” the report said, adding that although the source of these chlorides is difficult to ascertain, they could have been present in any of the components of concrete, including water, sand, course aggregates, cement or chemical admixtures.

The structural audit report was submitted to the district administration on July 16 and in its recommendations, the expert panel said there is rapid and widespread corrosion of reinforcement throughout the structure. “The need to frequently repair structures, as has been reported by the residents, also appears to have been caused by corrosion of steel reinforcements due to the presence of these chlorides. A poor quality of concrete has also played a role in the deterioration. Repair of these structures for usage is not technically nor economically feasible,” the report said.

Last week, officials privy to the matter in the district administration and the department of town and country planning, said Tower H had been deemed unsafe, and the report will be soon shared with the residents and the RWA.

Chintels Paradiso condominium has nine residential towers and the state government ordered the structural audit of all nine towers after six floors of the Tower D collapsed partially on February 10 last year, killing two women residents.

Currently, towers D, E and F have been vacated by residents while around 10 to 12 families are staying in Tower G, said the RWA.

The structural audit report of Tower H was submitted to the district administration last month.

A spokesperson of Chintels India Ltd said, “Option 1, under which payment of ₹6,500 per square foot plus paid stamp duty and interiors cost as determined by government approved valuator will be extended to the apartment owners of Tower H.”

Meanwhile, a letter sent to Chintels Paradiso RWA on July 21 by Rakesh Kumar, senior manager, Legal, Chintels India Ltd said,”Following the IIT-Delhi structural audit, Tower H has also been declared unsafe for habitation and will be evacuated at the earliest. We request you to accordingly inform all those occupying the Tower H to vacate their flats as soon as possible. We also extend our all-inclusive compensation to all flat owners of Tower H, on the same terms and conditions as the Option 1 of the earlier offer made to residents of towers D, E, F and G.”

The RWA, meanwhile, said that the residents of Tower H and Tower F are demanding that there should revaluation of the property as the rates have increased along Dwarka Expressway in the last one year when the previous assessment was carried out.

“The rates have increased and the evaluation should be carried out again,” a representative of the RWA said.

The next date of hearing of this matter in Supreme Court is on August 11.

The district administration officials did not comment on the matter and is yet to hand over report to RWA officially.