Chintels, the real estate firm, has written to the Gurugram Deputy Commissioner asking to immediately evacuate residents from five unsafe towers in the Chintels Paradiso in Gurugram's Sector 109 (D, E, F, G, H). According to an Indian Express report, the firm also attacked a letter by Edifice Engineering — the firm it has reached out to carry out the demolition work — regarding the steps to be followed with immediate effect, the report added.


As per Indian Express, four families currently reside in Tower G and six in Tower H.


"Considering the seriousness and urgency of the aforementioned, we request you to immediately get towers G and H vacated and to provide us security to barricade the unsafe areas as suggested by Edifice Engineering. We also request you to direct the RWA and the residents not to interfere with the required work as suggested by M/s Edifice Engineering and to cooperate with Chintels in order to undertake this very painful and difficult task of demolishing the five towers including the basement below," the letter said, as quoted by the Indian Express.


Speaking to the IE over the issue, JN Yadav, chairperson of the group said the demolition will be completed in a month or two. "We expect the final plan on demolition to be completed in a week and Edifice has told us that using explosives won’t work, they will use machines to demolish the towers," he said.


He further said that they are ready to compensate the residents, who are reluctant to vacate, either through cash as they have done in the case of over 150 residents, or by rebuilding.



Edifice Engineering Lists Precautions Before Demolishing


Uttkarsh Mehta, a partner at Edifice Engineering, said that they plan to demolish the towers soon and once the DC approves, it will be completed in a month. The work will begin in December, he said, as quoted by the IE.


He further said that they have given instructions to remove all the heavy loads from the area. The letter explained four guidelines including emptying water tanks, removal of soil from the lawn areas, and disconnecting electricity in all five towers. As per the report, the letter stated that they have observed the precarious situation and suggested immediate remedial action till the demolition begins.


"Declared unsafe area i.e.-phase-I of the project to be immediately barricaded along the expansion joint in order to avoid ingress of humans within the unsafe area to avoid any untoward incident. Water tanks on the terrace of all (five) towers are to be emptied of water immediately to reduce the load on the main columns of the towers to avoid the risk of collapse. Electricity supply to all five towers is to be immediately disconnected to avoid havoc created by fire due to the fall of internal parts of the towers. Recently, a few cantilever balconies gave way on its own with no vibrations being generated in those towers. Incidentally, disconnection of electricity shall mean non-operation of lifts which generates stresses on the shear walls of the lift-shaft and eventually the towers," it said, quoted Indian Express.


Residents No Ready To Move Out. Here's Why


The residents however are not ready to move out unless their demands for reconstruction are agreed upon. Manoj Singh, a Tower G resident told Indian Express, "We have demanded swift rebuilding of towers and payment of rent in the interim. The case is in the Supreme Court and we are ready to face any legal consequences when the vacation order by the DC comes."


Notably, four towers of the 9-tower society — D, E, F and G — were ordered to be vacated after, in Feb 2022, a portion of a sixth-floor apartment in Tower D collapsed all the way to the first floor. Two women were killed in the incident while a man was injured, the Indian Express reported.