DC Yadav meets residents of Chintels in Gurugram, takes stock of repair works

District deputy commissioner Nishant Kumar Yadav visited the residents of Tower D of Chintels Paradiso in Sector 109 on Friday and discussed with them the alternative accommodation arrangements and the expectations they have from the district administration.

He, along with the additional deputy commissioner and district town planner (enforcement) R S Bhath, also took stock of the repair works and the rehabilitation plan for the aggrieved families. A three-member team from IIT Delhi also visited the complex to conduct a structural and safety audit, said officials.

Some residents alleged they had raised issues with the structure of the building in the past and lodged multiple complaints too but no one paid heed.

Officials said the team from IIT Delhi will conduct an audit of the building and give a comprehensive report, the next plan of action and all that needs to be done by the developer and the district administration. “Usually, it takes a month for the team to come for this type of audit, but on our request, the IIT Delhi team arrived on Friday and started work,” said Yadav.

The deputy commissioner gave several options to the residents for alternative housing arrangements. They can stay in the temporary accommodation for free till they receive the report of the safety audit and repairs or reconstruction of the collapsed tower is completed.

Yadav said the residents will not have to pay any rent and their maintenance charges will also be waived for that period. “Another option is if any affected family wants to shift to some other residential complex of their choice, the developer will have to bear the rent. However, the size of the apartment has to be the same as the one they were living in the Chintels Paradiso complex.

The options were laid down before the residents in the presence of the developer’s representatives,” said Yadav adding that they are also working on the buyback option but have not finalised anything.

“We are discussing the option of buyback with the developer where in a resident who wants to surrender his apartment can get their money back with interest,” he said.

Apart from this, residents will also be compensated after getting a third party assessment of the interior done in their flat. However, it came to the fore that most of the flats were resold to the families. In such cases, the deputy commissioner has assured the aggrieved families that the district administration will find some solution so that even they can get a refund for their property, said officials.

There are 64 families of Chintels Paradiso’s Tower D, for whom alternative arrangements have been made. Officials also checked the basic amenities provided to them by the developer.

Bhath said he has been directed by the deputy commissioner to check all the arrangements of the rehabilitation process and ensure residents are satisfied with the apartments provided to them. “We are checking all issues related to electrical and plumbing works and if the residents have proper bedding and other facilities at their apartment. The developer is arranging food for the families till they set up their kitchen,” he said.

“Our onsite team is working round the clock to ensure smooth rehabilitation of the affected residents. We will duly compensate affected buyers or accommodate them in other apartments while necessary repair work or even fresh construction is completed. If some residents are not happy with the arrangements, the company is willing to pay their rental if they look for their own accommodation,” said a spokesperson of Chintels Paradiso on Friday.

Bhath said he is assisting IIT Delhi team and took them around the collapsed building to show the quality of construction and material used. “They have also taken samples for their structural audit,” he said.

Meanwhile, residents met commissioner of police Kala Ramachadran and requested her to add their names in the second FIR instead of the district town planners. “I met the residents and told them that names of all the residents cannot come under the complainant section. The DTP is a government official and will ensure a fair investigation takes place and justice is meted out,” said Ramachandran.

The police chief said the residents wanted her to visit the society and meet them. She agreed to pay them a visit again on either Monday or Tuesday.

Sonam Arora, one of the residents, said the meeting with the commissioner was good and they have requested her to arrest the accused at the earliest. “We were told that there are some documents pending at DTP’s end, following which the arrests will be made. We are living in fear and staying here is as good as risking one’s life. We have no other option until the safety audit is conducted,” she said.

Meanwhile, after the multiple flats collapse in Chintels Paradiso which claimed two lives, the town planning department has swung into action and taking stock of the other residential societies.

The DTP (planning) has recommended to police to register an FIR against Raheja Developers Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Areas Act, 1975 for substandard construction in Raheja Atharva in Sector-109 and Raheja Navodaya Society in Sector-92-95.

“Meetings were held… in the presence of town planning officers, builder management representatives, and residents. Instructions were given to the management to complete all the works within the time limit, but till date no satisfactory reply has been given by the developer. Finally, it has been recommended to register a case against Raheja Developers”, said Bhath.