Tower J of Chintels Paradiso declared unsafe: IIT Delhi report

23 Jan 2024 CW Team

The structural concerns within the Chintels Paradiso Society came to public attention when six floors of Tower D collapsed partially on February 10, 2022, resulting in the tragic death of two female residents. The dispute between the builder and residents over the building's safety has persisted since then.

Tower J's structural audit report, conducted by IIT Delhi and submitted to the district administration three days prior, revealed a high risk of corrosion in a significant part of the structure due to the presence of chlorides. The report also highlighted reduced alkalinity in the concrete, which, coupled with carbonation, further increases the likelihood of corrosion. Additionally, the report identified the use of "poor quality" concrete as a contributing factor to the rapid deterioration.

Assistant Deputy Commissioner Hitesh Kumar Meena confirmed the public release of the report and the issuance of an evacuation notice. Rakesh Hooda, representing the society's Residents' Welfare Association, expressed dissatisfaction with the district administration's decision, claiming that it disregarded the repair recommendation made by IIT Delhi.

The report cautioned that Tower J, while visually appearing in better condition than some towers, carries a higher risk of corrosion than others due to chloride-induced corrosion of reinforcement. The committee of the district administration, considering the IIT Delhi report and the apparent condition of the building, decided not to categorise Tower J as "Under Observation" and declared it unsafe for habitation. The committee recommended the immediate evacuation of residents still residing in these towers and deemed the repair and rehabilitation of Tower J unfeasible due to the pervasive high chloride content in the concrete throughout the structure.

The committee of the district administration announced the classification of Tower J in the Chintels Paradiso Society in Gurugram's Sector 109 as unsafe, marking it as the sixth out of eight towers within the housing complex deemed unfit for habitation. This declaration was based on a recent report submitted by a team from IIT Delhi. The structural concerns within the Chintels Paradiso Society came to public attention when six floors of Tower D collapsed partially on February 10, 2022, resulting in the tragic death of two female residents. The dispute between the builder and residents over the building's safety has persisted since then. Tower J's structural audit report, conducted by IIT Delhi and submitted to the district administration three days prior, revealed a high risk of corrosion in a significant part of the structure due to the presence of chlorides. The report also highlighted reduced alkalinity in the concrete, which, coupled with carbonation, further increases the likelihood of corrosion. Additionally, the report identified the use of poor quality concrete as a contributing factor to the rapid deterioration. Assistant Deputy Commissioner Hitesh Kumar Meena confirmed the public release of the report and the issuance of an evacuation notice. Rakesh Hooda, representing the society's Residents' Welfare Association, expressed dissatisfaction with the district administration's decision, claiming that it disregarded the repair recommendation made by IIT Delhi. The report cautioned that Tower J, while visually appearing in better condition than some towers, carries a higher risk of corrosion than others due to chloride-induced corrosion of reinforcement. The committee of the district administration, considering the IIT Delhi report and the apparent condition of the building, decided not to categorise Tower J as Under Observation and declared it unsafe for habitation. The committee recommended the immediate evacuation of residents still residing in these towers and deemed the repair and rehabilitation of Tower J unfeasible due to the pervasive high chloride content in the concrete throughout the structure.