Residents of Carlton Estate in DLF V, Gurgaon, are living under the constant fear of the whole building collapsing. After an appeal to RWA members evoked no response, residents have decided to knock on the doors of the builder, the DLF Group.
They have written several mails to the group and are now awaiting a response from the builder. “More than 15 locations in the basement are in really bad shape. If necessary repairs and restoration are not undertaken immediately, the ceiling in those areas can collapse any moment. In fact, a comprehensive structural audit by a licensed engineer is the need of the hour,” says a worried resident, Vineet Malik.
He adds, “After the RWA failed to get the building repaired, we wrote several mails to DLF, apprising them of the risks. The builder is constructing a school on the vacant plot adjacent to the building; this will invariably put the life of children at risk too. They fail to realise the gravity of the situation.”
The life span of a building is usually not less than 75-80 years, but Carlton Estate will not survive beyond 40-45 years if restoration work is not taken up promptly, feels Malik.
Residents feel that the builder is culpable of criminal negligence, given the condition of the society in such a short time. The construction has been sub-standard, and inferior-quality materials have been used. Topping it, maintenance of the building has also been poor so far. Furthermore, Gurgaon is in Seismic Zone IV, and hence a structurally weak building will collapse even more easily.
When City Spidey contacted the builder, it tried to wash its hands off the issue. VK Gupta, the DLF Group vice-president, said they had handed over the building to residents three years back and are not responsible for carrying out repairs now.
Here are a few pictures of the basement:
