by THO
The Gurugram district administration on Monday gave permission to the developer of the Chintels Paradiso complex at Gurugram Sector 109 to demolish five residential towers deemed unsafe for habitation, officials aware of the development said.
The developer, in its proposal, plans to begin the demolition exercise on May 1, and has said that the entire site will be cleared by December 15. The developer said it has already begun the initial process of removing doors, windows and other fixtures from the five towers.
The back story
On February 10, 2022, renovations at a sixth-floor flat of Tower D in the society led to the ceiling of a bedroom collapsing, causing a cascade effect in which portions of flats caved in all the way down to the first floor. Following the incident, in which two residents were killed, the Haryana department of town and country planning (DTCP) ordered a structural audit of the entire complex, and based on a report prepared by IIT-Delhi, the Gurugram administration deemed five of the nine towers in the complex — D, E, F, G, and H — unsafe, and in need of demolition.
The builder on March 7 submitted a demolition plan to the district administration and sought formal permission to demolish the five towers.
An order issued by Gurugram deputy commissioner Nishant Yadav on Monday said, “In reference to your request, it is intimated that the matter was deliberated by the committee headed by additional deputy commissioner, Gurugram and representatives of concerned departments… After detailed deliberation the committee was in agreement to allow you to demolish aforesaid towers subjected to compliances of policy guidelines/compliances of concerned departments. Accordingly permission is allowed for demolition of towers of D, E, F, G and H of Chintels Paradiso group housing society in Sector 109.”
The proposal for demolition
The proposal for demolition states that the demolition contractor will deploy a high-reach machine to bring down the structures safely.
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“Water tanks and a few floors will be demolished manually, depending upon the height of the machine with the help of electric breaker,” the proposal states, adding that the debris will be sent to an MCG C&D plant for disposal, while surrounding properties will be covered to prevent the ingress of dust.
HT has seen a copy of the proposal.
A senior government official, who is a member of the district committee probing the Chintels Paradiso incident, said that the developer will have to follow all guidelines given by various departments during demolition. “To ensure safety of labour, nearby structures and residents, all precautions suggested in the order will have to be taken during demolition,” he said, on condition of anonymity.
The Chintels Paradiso developer, meanwhile, said that they will ensure that compliances are implemented.
Also Read: Chintels to pay 10 families living in unsafe towers to vacate in Gurguram
“A professional company has been hired to carry out the demolition. We have got the permission for demolition but are yet to receive the detailed directions regarding compliances that have been recommended by the authorities. We will ensure all the suggestions are implemented on the site for safety of labour, structures and residents. A detailed plan for demolition has already been submitted to the authorities earlier,” said JN Yadav, vice-president, Chintels India Ltd.
Yadav said that once the compliances are put in force, they will immediately start demolition to ensure that it is completed within the stipulated timelines. “The plan is to complete the demolition and clear the site within eight months. We want to start reconstruction of the project at the earliest,” he said.
According to the developer, of the 280 flat owners in these five towers, 150 have already entered into a buy-back agreement and accepted compensation, while another 50 have opted for reconstruction. “The remaining 80 owners are also in the process of settling the matter. We will ensure that compensation claims are settled at the earliest, while those going for reconstruction also get their flats as soon as possible,” Yadav said.
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Rakesh Hooda, president of the Chintels Paradiso RWA, said that the developer and authorities should ensure that all safety and regulatory norms are followed on the ground. “The safety of residents of Towers A, B, C and J should be ensured during demolition. The nearby structures should not get damaged,” he said.
