The demolition process of the five towers of Chintels Paradiso housing complex in Gurugram has begun by Edifice Engineering, the firm that had brought down the Supertech twin towers in Noida in a controlled explosion in August 2022, people aware of the matter told Moneycontrol.
The company representatives said that all five towers - D, E, F, G, and H - will be razed by the mechanical demolition technique.
As the demolition process has started, the flat owners have written to the deputy commissioner to direct the builder to start paying the rent for alternate accommodation to those residents who have chosen the option of reconstruction of flats at the same site.
Team of experts at Chintels Pradiso site for demolition of towers
Two women were killed when a portion of tower D of the housing complex, locvated in Surugram sector 109, collapsed in February 2022. The subsequent structural safety audit reports of IIT Delhi had concluded that towers D, E, F, G, and H of the society were “usafe to live” and recommended demolition of these towers.
Mayur Mehta of Edifice Engineering said that things have been set in motion and demolition work has started. “Process of demolition of towers has started at Chintels Paradiso this week. Unlike controlled implosion, these towers will be demolished by manual and mechanical method. At present we have engaged a workforce of 50 people to start the demolition activities and this number will be increased depending on the need. More machines will be engaged in future for the purpose,” Mehta told Moneycontrol.
He said the timeframe for the completion of the demolition is eight months but it might vary depending on numerous factors such as daily work timeframe, available space to move heavy machines, among others.
After a number of visits by demolition consultants at the site, Edifice Engineering had suggested the mechanical and manual demolition technique, involving machines, at Chintels Paradiso instead of a controlled implosion method, which was used in the demolition of Noida’s Supertech twin towers.
This technique was suggested because residents are living in the other four towers within the society and due to the proximity to other residential buildings located near the housing complex, a company executive said.
The executive also said that the buildings are not too tall, hence the choice of razing it mechanically. Towers in Chintels Paradiso have a height ranging between 15 and 18 storeys.
Supertech’s twin towers Apex (32 storeys) and Ceyane (29 storeys) were razed via the controlled implosion technique in August 2022 and were touted as the third tallest structures in the world to be so demolished.
Currently, the five towers that are to be demolished have been vacated but around 225 families are still living in towers A, B, C, and J.
According to homebuyers, currently the agency is removing aluminium shuttering, PVC doors and panels, tiles, floors, stones, windows, and other interior elements of the flats in the towers, which are being demolished.
There was no immediate response from the developer Chintels India to queries send by Moneycontrol seeking a comment on these developments.
Homebuyers demand rent
Rakesh Hooda, president, RWA Chintels Paradiso, said that the Supreme Court said in its January ruling that “the builder must pay suitable rent to affected buyers from the commencement of re-construction until the project gets completed”.
“Any new building can be constructed here after the demolition of unsafe towers, which has already begun so it is the part of reconstruction of the project. Hence, as per the Supreme Court directions the developer should pay the rent to affected homebuyers. We have written a letter to the deputy commissioner (DC) Gurugram and requested him to fix the rate of reasonable rent and instruct the builder for the payment of rent,” he said.
Hooda added that the DC has assured the residents of his full cooperation on the issue.
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