GURUGRAM: Hundreds of residents from Neelkanth Enclave face an uncertain future, having to stay in hotels and community centers following a PWD inspection of buildings that were compromised by a collapsed retaining wall at a nearby site. Officials deemed the structures unsafe for habitation.
A district administration representative informed TOI that the safety assessment conducted by a PWD team on Friday confirmed the buildings will remain sealed.
“No one will be allowed to re-enter these buildings until they are fully repaired and certified safe by our engineers,” stated the official.
The Badshapur sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) revealed that experts from IIT-Delhi or the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) will be summoned for a detailed structural audit.
“The audit report will determine the habitability of these homes. We’ll assess whether the damages can be repaired,” Singla added.
In a related development, Badshapur police have registered an FIR against the construction agency contracted by a realtor for developing a high-rise at the Sector 69 site, where the retaining wall collapsed on Thursday.
At around 10 AM, the retaining wall of a basement under excavation buckled following heavy rainfall. Residents of the adjacent Neelkanth Enclave reported hearing a “loud explosion,” after which their five- to six-story buildings trembled.
Damage was reported to ten residential buildings, including one that is leaning, with cracks noted on the walls and floors of the others.
According to a police complaint filed by a resident, the construction agency failed to use quality jacks and appropriate safety measures at the site, resulting in soil erosion near the colony. Officials suspect that the collapse of the retaining wall during heavy rains compromised the foundations of the nearby buildings.
A police team visited the construction site on Friday for further investigation.
In response, the construction agency has deployed 50 workers to reinforce the area with sandbags to prevent future soil erosion.
SDM Singla assured he would personally investigate the concerns raised by residents regarding the construction agency.
Of the 400 residents evacuated from the ten Neelkanth Enclave buildings, many have returned to their hometowns in other states, taking advantage of a three-day break from work or school.
The displaced residents expressed their worries about the situation. Puneet Shukla, one of those evacuated, stated, “I have no idea when I will be able to return home. How long can we remain in a community center?”
