Developers told to check safety of high-rises

To reduce damage in the event of an earthquake in the city, the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) will ask private developers to evaluate the structural designs of their high-rise buildings and furnish a structural stability certificate by April 30. Sanjeev K Ahuja reports.

To reduce damage in the event of an earthquake in the city, the Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) will ask private developers to evaluate the structural designs of their high-rise buildings and furnish a structural stability certificate by April 30.

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The certificate will prove that the buildings are safe and constructed as per the National Building Code. It also says the buildings are sustainable against high magnitude quakes measuring more than 7 point on the Richter scale.

With over 700 high-rise buildings, Gurgaon falls under seismic zone IV on the dangerous Sohna Fault.

The developers have also been asked to prepare a Contingency and Response Plan for their hi-rises and deposit the same with MCG by May 15. The corporation has threatened penal and legal action if its instructions are not followed.

MCG commissioner Sudhir Rajpal said, “We will issue directives to all private developers that if their buildings have been constructed without considering the structural safety measures, then they need to take immediate steps for retro-fitting of buildings and report the same to us.”

The National Disaster Management Authority during a seminar in New Delhi on March 13 had deliberated upon the effects of an earthquake of magnitude 8 occurring in Haryana and its effects in other states, including Gurgaon.