Problems at some of the houses constructed by Chandigarh Housing Board (CHB) are causing alarm among some residents of Sector 49. These houses were constructed by the Board as part of Chandigarh Administration’s Slum Rehabilitation Project.
Construction of these 1,024 houses was completed last year and possession given to eligible slum dwellers in January 2011. Most of the residents here shifted from the Kajheri slum colony but their happiness at getting a flat of their own has now turned sour. The problem is that the floor in some of these four-storeyed houses is sinking. In some houses, the floor has developed cracks, and pits have been formed where the residents had placed an LPG cylinder.
Cracks can be seen even in a ground-floor apartment which is lying vacant. In this flat, the floor seems to cave in towards the middle of the room, and patches of seepage can clearly be seen on it.
In the building where the floor has sunk in the ground-floor apartment, the walls in the houses on the first floor have developed cracks along the skirting. The situation has led to much concern among the residents.
These houses were constructed in a low-lying area, and 16-17-foot deep land filling was done. These four-storeyed flats have one multi-purpose room, a toilet and kitchen. Rosha added that the problem may have come up in these houses because the residents have raised a wall.There is no foundation under this unauthorised wall. The load of the wall is causing the floor to sink. While it is true that some residents have made a temporary wall as a partition in the large multi-purpose room, they question that why should the floor sink at places where an LPG cylinder is placed.
Part of the Dream Weave Walk Network 1998-2012