Khattar orders structural audit of Gurugram apartment; others to be examined

Following protests by the local people demanding action against the builders of Chintels Pardiso housing complex that suffered a partial collapse killing two women recently, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday ordered a structural audit of the building by IIT Delhi or a similar institute.

As residents of several other housing societies in New Gurugram expressed apprehensions about the safety of their buildings, Khattar also asked the local administration to identify all such buildings through the town and country planning department or the residents' welfare associations and get their audits done at the builders' expense.

"We are deeply saddened by the tragic incident and our hearts are with the residents. We will get safety audits done for all societies and the builders will pay for it. This will ensure that there is no scope of a repeat of such accidents," Khattar said in a statement to the media on Monday.

The chief minister also directed the local administration to make interim arrangements for Chintels Paradiso residents.

Meanwhile, local residents continued their protest demanding that the builder and the officials responsible for issuing clearances to the building be booked for murder.

They have also been pressing for a high court-monitored Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry.

Two women were killed and a few others trapped under the rubble when a portion of Chintels Paradiso building collapsed on Thursday evening.

The dining room floor of a sixth-floor apartment first came down, triggering the collapse of roofs and floors directly under it, till the first floor, according to officials.

Two FIRs have already been lodged in connection with the case.