CBRI audit declares 7th tower of Chintels Paradiso in Gurugram as unsafe

A structural audit of the Chintels Paradiso condominium in Gurugram Sector 109 has identified Tower C as unsafe and recommended its demolition, according to sources familiar with the situation.

The audit, conducted by experts from the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) and commissioned by the developer, has been completed. The final report, dated August 16, has now been submitted to a district committee that includes officials from the Haryana Department of Town and Country Planning (DTCP) and the Gurugram administration, according to sources.

The builder stated that they received the report from CBRI on August 16 and subsequently forwarded it to the committee.

JN Yadav, vice president, Chintels India Ltd said,"We have got the structural audit report from CBRI which has found that Tower C is unsafe. We have submitted the audit report to the district administration for further action. We will offer flat owners the option of taking compensation or reconstruction as it has been offered to owners of other six towers, which are being demolished.”

On February 10, 2022, renovations in a sixth-floor flat of Tower D led to the collapse of a bedroom ceiling, triggering a cascade effect that caused portions of flats to cave in down to the first floor. The incident, which resulted in the deaths of two residents, prompted the DTCP to order a structural audit of the entire complex.

Following a report from IIT-Delhi, the administration classified five of the nine towers — D, E, F, G, and H — as unsafe and in need of demolition. Additionally, on January 5 of this year, Tower J was also declared unsafe.

In the latest audit, CBRI experts noted that a visual inspection of Tower C showed signs of "corrosion."

The report stated, "Due to significant deterioration of reinforcements caused by chlorides, most structural elements are failing to meet stability requirements based on current strength and reinforcement levels. This assessment, made according to Indian standards for earthquake zone IV, leads to the conclusion that Tower C is unsafe in its current condition."

Chintels Paradiso RWA president Rakesh Hooda said,"Tower C has 64 flats, and the owners should first be provided with a detailed reconstruction plan. Offers should include rent and relocation expenses. Additionally, we seek an explanation for the delay in the reports for Towers A and B, considering their testing was completed before that of Tower C."