East End Apts: On shaky grounds
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East End Apts: On shaky grounds

Residents of this society in Mayur Vihar Phase 1 Extension are scared that if the column-strengthening work is not completed soon, the buildings may not survive another earthquake.

East End Apts: On shaky grounds

Residents of East End Apartments in Mayur Vihar Phase 1 Extension have a major cause of worry. The society’s column-strengthening work has been left midway, with 30 per cent of the society pillars lying chipped away to an extent where the steel bars are exposed.

The society’s structural design is as per pre-2002 seismic standards. Residents fear that being in a high-risk seismic zone, the multistorey buildings are not structurally sound enough to withstand earthquakes.

The society’s managing committee had started the strengthening of load-bearing pillars three months back. As per plan, the column surfaces were to be chipped off, reinforced with steel bars and recast to achieve broader pillars.

The work, however, was left midway. The private contractor, in charge of the Rs 20-lakh job, refused to finish the work over non-payment of bills.  

A resident of Block 12 told City Spidey that in most pillars, the concrete had been chipped off enough to expose the reinforcement steel. “The work is in limbo because of an internal conflict between the president and the secretary of the society.”

He said that the former managing committee had carried out plaster work on all columns a few years back. The budget was set at Rs 40 lakh, but the actual expense came out to be about Rs 7 lakh. He alleged that the rest of the money was embezzled. “This time, when the work is way more complex, the budget is just Rs 20 lakh — half of what it was for plastering,” he added. 

BK Singh, president of the society, told City Spidey that the committee’s secretary, Manoj Paliwal, was obstructing development work. “We are unable to restart work as Paliwal is not cooperating,” said Singh. “I had called a committee meeting, but it proved futile as he did not show up.”

Paliwal, secretary of the society’s committee, when contacted by City Spidey, refused to comment on the issue. He said he was not willing to discuss the society’s internal matters with the media. “I will soon be calling a meeting to solve the issue amicably,” he, instead, said.

Residents of the society, in the meantime, are worried about their safety. Some said that they would take legal recourse against the secretary in case of any untoward incident. “He is the biggest hindrance in the completion of this work, as he is not willing to pay the contractor,” they said.