Living Like Refugees, Say Residents Of Gurgaon Apartments That Caved In

The residents of a residential society in Gurgaon whose flats have been found to be unsafe met with Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who assured them their concerns would be addressed, according to a statement.

Two women were killed on February 10 at Gurgaon's Chintels Paradiso when the dining room floor of a sixth-floor apartment caved in, triggering the collapse of roofs and floors directly under it till the first floor.

The Department of Town and Country Planning has declared four more apartment towers unfit for living, leaving residents without a home.

Hundreds of residents took out a protest march today, demanding a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the incident.

In a statement after meeting the Chief Minister, the residents said Mr Khattar assured them rent could be paid by Chintels till the building is declared safe after an audit.

"We requested him to take quick and strict action against the builder and officials involved. If the building is declared unsafe, the Chief Minister said refund would be provided, for which details would be given by the District Collector in 3-4," the residents said in the statement.

Police Commissioner Kala Ramachandran will visit Chintels Paradiso on Tuesday, the residents said, adding the police chief assured that all properties of the builder would be frozen.

The residents yesterday said people from Tower D, where the flats collapsed, are camping like refugees and asked how others would be accommodated.

Town and Country Planner RS Bhath said the builder will bear the cost for rehabilitation of these families.

"We have shifted almost everyone. These families will be rehabilitated, and the cost will be borne by the builder. The repairs are in full swing," he said.