On Thursday morning, two schoolgirls had a close call when the balcony of a flat in a high-rise residential building in Gurgaon gave way, sending debris crashing down just a few meters from them.
The incident transpired around 6:15 AM at Imperia Esfera, located in Sector 37C. The balcony that fell was situated on the second floor of Tower E, which is still under construction and only partially occupied, as reported by the residents.
Footage from the scene reveals large pieces of concrete and plaster scattered across the ground, near parked scooters and cars.
According to local residents, the girls had just passed the area when the balcony collapsed. “The school children managed to escape unharmed,” stated Surinder Singh, a resident of Tower E.
Singh raised concerns about ongoing problems with the builder, suggesting that they only provide temporary fixes. He noted that possession of the flats has been delayed, despite many buyers having paid 90% of the total cost, and that essential amenities are still lacking.
Residents are currently engaged with the builder and the local estate manager to seek a prompt resolution to these issues.
The developer responsible for the project is Imperia Structures Limited. Amrit Pal Singh, the company’s CEO, informed The Indian Express that they are investigating the incident.
Rinky Singh, former president of the Residents’ Welfare Association, noted that only about 10 to 12 families occupy Tower E, which has 19 floors because much of the construction remains unfinished. “The builder has not yet obtained an occupation certificate for at least two floors, and the economically weaker section blocks are also incomplete,” she remarked.
A security guard stationed near the affected tower reported hearing a loud crash when the balcony fell, and he observed that the pillars close to the balcony appeared to be bent.
In a related incident earlier that week, large sections of plaster fell in the basement of Tower H at the Adani Oyster high-rise in Sector 102, close to the Dwarka Expressway, resulting in significant damage to a Hyundai sedan parked nearby.
While there have been no injuries reported in either incident, these occurrences have raised alarm among residents regarding the construction standards of high-rise buildings in Gurgaon.
In February 2022, a section of a sixth-floor apartment in Tower D of Chintels Paradiso collapsed to the first floor, tragically resulting in the deaths of two women and injuries to a man. Subsequently, six out of the nine towers in that society in Sector 109 were declared unsafe for residents and marked for demolition.
