News: Chintels Paradiso residents ask for changes in flat rebuild plan-07-05-2023
Residents of Chintels Paradiso, where two persons died in a vertical collapse of flats last year, have demanded a revision in the settlement proposal offered by the developer.
The move comes three days after the district administration directed Chintels India, the developer of the Sector 109 society, to either settle the flat owners’ claims within four months or renovate/rebuild the building according to expert recommendation.
The developer has offered two options. If a homeowner chooses the flat buyback option, Chintels will pay the cost of the flat (at Rs 6,500/sqft), and refund stamp duty along with the cost of interior work carried out in the house.
If not this, a homeowner can choose the renovation or reconstruction of the flat, provided they pay Rs 1,000 per sq ft to the developer. Many have opposed this term, calling it “unjustified”. A group of residents also met local MLA Rakesh Daultabad on Saturday and sought his intervention. Daultabad assured them that he would take up the matter with the district administration.
Meanwhile, the developer didn’t respond to requests for a comment by TOI. Vikram Gambhir (68), who owns a flat in Tower D of the society, said their home and dreams were shattered last year and now, his hopes of justice have been crushed with such a proposal.
“I am in a state of complete shock after getting this absurd proposal from the developer. We will never get a flat of the same size at the rate which they are proposing in this vicinity. If we choose reconstruction, we will be burdened with additional payment, while the builder hasn’t committed to providing rent during the construction. How is this justified? Ensuring quality construction is the developer’s responsibility,” he said.
Residents have also demanded that rent should be paid until their flats are reconstructed and construction done in a time-bound manner. “Even after more than a year, Chintels hasn’t reached out to residents. They are now proposing an offer of reconstruction with terms and conditions that nobody will accept. This is all being done to get the ban on the registry of their properties lifted. There is no guarantee construction will be done in three years. We want the developer to continue paying the rent until the construction is over,” said Sushil Rohilla, a resident of Tower F.
“We urge the administration to ensure rent payment be continued if owners don’t opt for the buyback offer. Also, the condition of payment of Rs 1,000/sq ft must be removed in case buyers choose reconstruction of flats at the same site. This will only cause additional burden on the flat owners,” said Rakesh Hooda, the president of Paradiso RWA.
