Gurugram: Structural audit of Chintels Paradiso may finally begin in a week

GURUGRAM: The comprehensive structural audit of Chintels Paradiso, where a cave-in of flats killed two residents on February 10, is expected to begin in a week, district administration officials said on Friday.

The move comes amid severe criticism from residents, who have accused the government of dragging its feet on the critical exercise and moved the Supreme Court for its intervention.

Officials said the administration had received bids from three companies for the audit and a work order was expected to be issued in the next few days.

IIT-Delhi had, in its interim report last month, suggested a detailed structural audit.

The three-member committee from the civil engineering department of IIT-Delhi had in the report highlighted that given the age of the structures, deterioration had happened “faster than expected”.

It had pointed out significant corrosion in the steel bars of the inspected buildings, wide cracks in the tiles, slabs and beams and swelling of the floors, saying these were “common occurrences”.

The report did not rule out the possibility of flaws in the structural design, material quality and construction of the buildings.

“Each of these possibilities needs to be investigated through a detailed survey, testing, assessment on-and-off the site and analysis programme,” the report had stated.

The IIT-Delhi team had also suggested engaging firms for surveys and testing.

“We have received bids from three different firms and one of them will be finalised in the next few days to conduct a survey, testing and assessment for a detailed structural audit,” deputy commissioner Nishant Yadav said.

The report was filed based on visual inspections of Tower D (where the collapse occurred), and Tower G, where repairs were being carried out.

It pointed out rust marks on pieces of concrete, corrosion pits in the reinforcement and reduction in diameter of the steel bars due to corrosion. New reinforcements were placed in the slabs by drilling holes in the old slab, while wide cracks were spotted in the beams and slabs, floors and external columns, it stated.

The state government had on March 22 announced that the collapse probe would be handed over to the CBI.

Chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar had also made an announcement regarding the CBI probe during the ongoing assembly session. The residents have been demanding a probe by the central investigating agency from the day of the collapse.

A group of residents have already approached the Supreme Court and filed a petition against the developer, DTCP, the district administration and others for neglecting the concerns raised repeatedly by them about structural issues.