Got houses but not homes: Displaced Chintels Paradiso families

GURUGRAM: The 35 families displaced from Tower D of Chintels Paradiso were on Tuesday allotted temporary flats in towers A, B, C and J of the Sector 109 condominium. But while they something to call home for a while, there is little that they have been able to get from their original homes. They are also nervous about the staying on in the society after witnessing the cave-in of flats that led to the death of two residents on February 10.

The department of town and country planning (DTCP), on the directions of chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, is overseeing the rehabilitation process of these families. District town planner (enforcement) RS Batth, who is camping at Paradiso, said 60 members from the housekeeping team of the developer had been asked to complete electricity, plumbing and other amenities in the flats temporarily allotted to Tower D residents. “The teams have been asked to retrieve household items, whatever possible, in safe manner from the flats in Tower D,” he said.

The developer, according to Batth, has been asked to provide at least one double bed and almirah to each family. Around 50% of the procurement was completed on Tuesday. “The developer’s team has informed that the remaining requirements will be fulfilled by Wednesday,” he said.

Some of the families were not happy with the alternative flats as those were smaller than the ones they lived in and were on floors that they didn’t find suitable (too high or too low). After the town planner’s intervention, other flats were allotted to these residents. Yet, these were roofs over the head but nothing like home, without the furniture and other items of daily need locked away in the marooned Tower D flats. A resident said the temporary flats also needed cleaning and their water supply lines fixed to be livable. Several of them are working from home, which too has had to be suspended with WiFi connections not being available.

A spokesperson for Chintels said, “In case any allottee of the affected tower is desirous of relocating elsewhere and wants to return the apartment to Chintels, the same would also be done. We reiterate that we have always dealt with our customers with utmost fairness, transparency and sincerity and shall continue to do so.”

Lalit Kapoor, a resident, said they couldn’t just start living in the new flats till they were fixed. “Several directions were given to the developer’s team to assist the families, but they are not paying heed to it,” he said. Another resident, Sumit Kumar, said the displaced families are forced to live like nomads for no fault of theirs.