Over a year and a half have passed since a tragic incident in Chintels Paradiso, Gurugram, where a section of Tower D collapsed, leading to the loss of two lives. However, residents in other towers of the housing complex in Sector 109 continue to face an uncertain future. They are now calling for a resolution akin to the one achieved in the case of Signature View Apartment in Delhi. In the Signature View Apartment case, the Lieutenant Governor directed the Delhi Development Authority to reconstruct the affected flats and cover the rent for residents who had to secure alternative accommodations during the interim period.
Recently, a group of Chintels Paradiso residents staged a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, urging the reconstruction of their flats. They also sent petitions to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Puri, seeking their intervention in the matter. Vikram Gambhir, a resident of Chintels Paradiso, stated, “In our memorandum to the PMO and Hardeep Puri, we have requested their intervention to direct the builder and administration to reconstruct our flats and compensate affected homebuyers.”
The incident in Chintels Paradiso occurred on February 10, 2022, when a section of Tower D collapsed, causing fatalities and injuries. Subsequently, a panel from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi, declared five out of the society’s nine towers as “unsafe to live.” Residents of towers D, E, F, G, and H were instructed to vacate these buildings. While many residents have relocated to rented accommodations, some are still residing in towers G and H.
Most residents who left their flats are currently covering their rent expenses, in addition to their monthly home loan installments. In April 2023, the developer presented two options: a buyback or reconstruction of flats. However, the reconstruction option was withdrawn by the builder in July 2023.
Vikram Gambhir, who is currently residing in a rented property, urged the Gurugram district administration to adopt an approach similar to the one applied in the Signature View Apartment case and facilitate the reconstruction of flats. He claimed that residents are being forced to accept the buyback offer, as no other alternatives are available. Gambhir explained, “Following the precedent set by the Signature View Apartment case, we request the reconstruction of our homes and rent payments to residents until our flats are reconstructed.“
Another resident of the Chintels society, who chose to remain anonymous, expressed the desire for flat reconstruction. Since that option has been removed, residents are burdened with the financial responsibility of both rent and EMIs. They questioned the differing approaches taken when the structural safety issues in Chintels Paradiso and Signature View Apartment societies appear similar.
A spokesperson from Chintels India responded to the developments, stating, “We are currently in discussions with the Resident Welfare Association (RWA) and the administration on this matter and are open to further discussions.“
There was no immediate response available from the district administration regarding the issue.
Also Read: Gurugram Authorities Demand Safety Audit for Chintels Paradiso Towers A, B, and C