BENGALURU: Barely three months after Greater Bengaluru Authority issued occupancy certificate giving an all-clear, an 18-floor apartment tower, part of SNN Raj Etternia complex near Kudlu off Hosur Road, is set to be razed.The builder made the decision to tear down the tower even before its buyers had stepped into their dream homes after it came to light that the building had started tilting to one side due to shoddy structural stability work done in the run-up to its construction.The tower, built over four years, has 49 flats. Buyers were ready to move in when its structural flaw played havoc with their plan. The complex has 14 more towers, which are flaw-free. The project has 972 apartments, of which 822 have already been handed over to buyers.The unusual developments came to the fore after the developer wrote to the GBA chief commissioner, seeking permission to demolish the tower in the next six months and reconstruct it all afresh in the next two years.Along with its demolition application, the builders have sought revocation of the occupancy certificate issued by GBA.GBA chief commissioner Maheshwar Rao told TOI: “The occupancy certificate (OC) was issued based on studies and reports by the builder. If there is something wrong with that, we will withdraw the same and issue notices to the building.”SNN Raj Corp director Anuj Sanjay Jain attributed the problem to an error in the original geotechnical investigation. “With all approvals in place, we were about to hand over the units when we noticed undulations in the slope. When we got the soil reinvestigation done, we realized that the old consultant had interchanged crucial readings,” Jain said.“Even though the building looks good and intact, it may face issues 10-15 years later. We will carry out complete reconstruction of the 49-unit tower,” he said. Jain said the developer had met all affected homebuyers to explain the very unusual situation.“They (homebuyers) were kind and supportive. They were disappointed that they will have to wait for possession,” he said, adding the rebuilding process would take 18 months after six months of phased dismantling.A senior engineer with Bengaluru South City Corporation said OC is issued by the town planning department after verifying compliance with the sanctioned building plan and is not linked to civil engineering or structural design assessments. “How the soil behaves cannot be predicted. Sometimes there will be a cavity 30-40 metres below the surface. This is detected only when load testing is done,” he said.“The tilt was detected during a water load test conducted by the builder, who found the building sinking. They immediately approached the authorities seeking permission to demolish the tower,” he said.GBA assistant director (town planning) BN Girish confirmed receipt of demolition application.Asked if adjacent towers would warrant a similar review, Rao said there was no requirement at present. He, however, clarified GBA would take steps to ensure no one in the surrounding areas is affected.
