Month on, safety audit guidelines yet to be formed in Greater Noida

Officials of the authority said on Sunday that they have sought help from the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, and are still waiting for a response from the institute

The three-member committee, which was constituted by the Greater Noida authority almost a month ago to formulate the guidelines for the safety audit of the high-rise buildings in the city, has failed to perform its task in the stipulated time period. Officials of the authority said on Sunday that they have sought help from the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, and are still waiting for a response from the institute.

(Representational image)

The authority on February 19 this year had constituted a committee headed by additional chief executive officer Amandeep Duli to formulate guidelines in 15 days for safety audit and propose stringent rules to ensure safety to new buildings. The authority decided to carry out the safety audit of residential buildings in Greater Noida with the help from IIT experts, a week after the incident of ceiling collapse at Chintels Paradiso society in Gurugram.

“We have written to IIT Roorkee to rope in experts for the job. We are waiting for a reply from the institute. Once the guidelines are formed, the safety audit of the old buildings will be conducted as per the rules,” said Duli.

According to the officials, the committee will formulate guidelines keeping in mind the aspects related with the strength of any building, such as pillars, design of building and foundation, among others. The guidelines will also detail out who will bear the cost of the safety audit in old buildings.

The Noida Extension Flat Owners’ Welfare Association (NEFOWA), a residents’ group in Greater Noida, said that the authority should formulate these guidelines without delay.

“The committee had 15 days’ time to formulate the guidelines so that the safety audit of the old buildings can be started. But the guidelines are not in place yet. We demand that the authority must expedite the work now,” said Manish Kumar, senior vice-president of NEFOWA.

According to official estimates, there are at least 500 high-rise complexes in the city.