NOIDA: The Greater Noida Industrial Development Authority (GNIDA) has announced a structural audit of the Arihant Amber building in Noida Extension following the tragic death of a 46-year-old resident, who was killed when a concrete fragment fell from an overhead beam while he was riding his bike.
“The Authority will perform a structural audit of the building and act according to the findings,” stated Saumya Srivastava, additional CEO at GNIDA.
The victim, Vikas Chawla, resided in Tower D (flat 1507) with his family. The accident occurred around 4 PM on Saturday as he exited the parking area. AOA president Tushar Panda revealed that Chawla had reached an open spot when “a piece of the roof beam fell on him,” causing him to lose control and crash into the tower wall. “His head struck the corner,” Panda added.
Despite efforts to rush him to Yatharth Hospital, located a mere five minutes away, he was declared dead upon arrival. Chawla’s younger brother, Deepak, filed the complaint, expressing that “a large piece of plaster fell from above and struck him as he turned, leaving him seriously injured,” and is demanding stringent action against the builder and AOA.
An FIR has been lodged at the Bisrakh police station against the builder and the AOA under BNS Section 106 for causing death by negligence. In connection to the case, the society’s maintenance in-charge has been arrested.
Residents noted that this unfortunate event follows numerous warnings. They reported that plaster has been deteriorating after strong winds and rain, and complaints to authorities and UP-Rera have not resulted in effective solutions.
“Over the past three years, there have been around 20-25 similar incidents, but this is the first time it resulted in fatal injuries,” Panda explained. He mentioned that the AOA reached out to Rera in 2024, but while a cradle for maintenance was implemented last year, no actual repairs were conducted.
In a letter dated May 29 to the district administration, the AOA reported that external plaster and structural components were “highly dilapidated,” citing that chunks of cement and concrete have been falling daily from balconies and beams, with no repairs performed despite a pending RERA case.
The developer dismissed these allegations, claiming maintenance is no longer their responsibility. Kaushal Jain, managing director of Arihant Group, stated that the project received its completion certificate in 2018, and an occupancy certificate on December 14, 2018.
The society’s AOA was established in 2022, and facilities were handed over on April 1, 2023. “According to regulations, once the project is handed over to the AOA, they assume responsibility for maintenance,” Jain explained.
However, the AOA claims in its Rera complaint that despite obtaining an OC, the developer did not fulfill promises to complete various amenities, including a swimming pool.
Arihant Amber consists of four towers (A-D) with 628 flats, of which 625 are now occupied. The project was developed by Citycon Buildwell Ltd.
