DTCP asks IIT Roorkee to conduct structural audit of five Gurugram condominiums

The department of town and country planning (DTCP) in Gurugram has asked IIT Roorkee to conduct the structural audit of five group housing projects in the city, where residents had complained of structural defects in residential towers, after getting the approval from higher authorities in Chandigarh.

DTCP officials on Monday said they have written to the head of the civil engineering department at IIT Roorkee to conduct a study and determine the quality of construction, with regard to use of materials, of the five group housing projects and ascertain if the buildings are safe for habitation.

The five group housing projects where structural audit will be carried out are Raheja Vedanta, Raheja Atharva, Brisk Lumbini, M3M Woodshire, and Mahindra Aura.

The decision to conduct a structural audit at these condominiums came last month after the DTCP’s enforcement wing recommended to its headquarter that structural audit of these complexes should be conducted following complaints from residents, who were panic-stricken following the collapse of a residential tower in Chintels Paradiso complex on February 10. Six floors of Tower D in the complex partially collapsed, leading to two deaths and leaving several people homeless.

RS Bhath, district town planner (enforcement), said a request has been made for structural audit by senior town planner, Gurugram, and a letter has been sent to IIT Roorkee in this regard. “We will coordinate with experts from IIT Roorkee and provide all support to the visiting team in carrying out the audit. The audit will reveal if there are any structural defects. Accordingly, the experts can suggest remedial measures,” he said.

According to the broad term of reference for structural audit, which will be finalised by the DTCP later, the expert team will determine the quality of construction of these buildings, with regard to use of materials and the ratios used. The team will also determine the root cause of the structural defect, undertake detailed scrutiny of structural drawings and a detailed study of mechanisms involved in construction, said DTCP officials.

The audit team will also ascertain whether these buildings are structurally safe for habitation. It will also suggest safeguards to avoid such defects in future and suggest remedial measures, added the officials.

Probe committee meets Chintels Paradiso stakeholders

The committee formed by the district administration to probe the reasons that led to the collapse of six floors of Tower D of Chintels Paradiso on February 10 held the first meeting with stakeholders of the project on Monday and sought information from them regarding structural defects and other issues concerning the condominium.

Members of the committee said they asked the developer and other stakeholders about the mechanism of construction, documents pertaining to construction and repairs conducted in the past.

Vishram Kumar Meena, additional deputy commissioner, Gurugram, said they held a detailed meeting with stakeholders, in which information related to different aspects of construction was sought. “This is an ongoing investigation, and the committee is seeking information from all stakeholders…,” he said.

During the meeting, the committee also sought details from the contractor regarding testing, communication and related issues with the builder. “Structural drawings, complaints lodged by residents in the past, action taken reports, details of repair carried out in the past and everything related to these buildings have been sought,” said Bhath, who is also a member of the committee.