DTCP to finalise firms for Paradiso testing in a week

Gurgaon: Two agencies for sampling and lab testing of debris, respectively, at Chintels Paradiso, where a cave-in of flats killed two residents on February 10, will be finalised by the department of town and country planning (DTCP) in a week, officials have said.
According to senior DTCP officials, these agencies will work in coordination with IIT-Delhi and submit their reports to the special investigation team (SIT) probing the collapse, based on which the future course of action will be decided. Also, the valuation of the affected properties is likely to be completed by the end of this month.
“We are in the final stages of selecting the two agencies. The sampling and testing of debris arekely to begin by June 20,” district town planner (enforcement) RS Batth said. On Wednesday, a group of aggrieved residents met the district town planner to discuss the factors causing the delay in the probe.
Speaking about the delay, a resident slammed the DTCP for the slow process in finalising the testing agency. “The residents’ welfare association is planning to write a letter to the additional deputy commissioner (ADC) regarding the waiver of common area maintenance charges,” he told TOI.
ADC Vishram Meena said “the structural audit is going on, and testing and sampling will also begin soon”. On the basis of these reports, the SIT will prepare and submit its report to the deputy commissioner.
Last month, the DTCP finalised the structural engineer and the agency for valuation of flats in Tower D, where the cave-in occurred. “We have fixed a meeting with the valuers on June 16 and are hopeful that the valuation work will be completed by this month,” Meena said.
Meanwhile, DTCP has already handed over all project-related documents to the IIT-D team which is carrying out the structural audit of the society. Residents of the highrise had earlier alleged that the audit was getting delayed owing to non-submission of a few mandatory documents to the IIT-D team. The ongoing audit by a structural engineer will determine the quality of construction materials as shown in the plan and compare it with the materials used — mainly steel and cement — during the construction.