‘Sub-standard construction’ at Delhi’s Signature View Apartments: CBI books 28 retired DDA staff, 4 firms

As per the FIR registered by the central probe agency, faults in the building started emerging soon after flats were allocated in 2012. The FIR mentions two testing companies, which were to examine the structural reliability of the project; two construction companies; along with 28 retired DDA employees, who made ‘wrongful gains’ from sub-standard construction.

“Accused public servants of DDA, in conspiracy with directors of the companies, bypassed quality control as highlighted in the contract and the CPWD manual, and compromised the quality and structural safety requirements during construction. Due to sub-standard construction and inferior quality of material, the building was declared unsafe for living within less than a decade of the building’s erection, thereby causing wrongful loss of Rs 45 crore (approx.) to the DDA and wrongful gain to themselves,” the FIR states.

Signature View Apartments was launched by the DDA in 2007 and handed over to residents in 2012. The 12 towers in the residential complex have a total of 336 HIG (high-income group) and MIG (middle-income group) flats. Soon after moving in, however, residents claimed that they started noticing substandard construction.

After complaints of cracks in the columns, beams, and falling ceiling plaster/concrete by the Residents’ Welfare Association in 2018, the National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCCBM) had inspected the houses on October 22, 2018.

The first-hand report based on a preliminary site visit submitted by NCCBM had suggested that repair work should be done due to distress in terms of cracks, spalling of cover concrete, and corrosion of reinforcement in different RCC members. It had also suggested that a structural evaluation be done by a structural design expert.

Later, the Delhi Lieutenant Governor ordered that all the flats had to be vacated and an inquiry by the Vigilance department be initiated, along with criminal action against the accused officers.

In 2023, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) also issued demolition orders for the housing complex.

In July, the DDA had approved a “facilitation amount of Rs 50,000 per month for HIG flats, and Rs 38,000 per month for MIG flats towards rent for residents during the period of reconstruction”.

Over 200 families have moved after the DDA started releasing rent payments to residents who have vacated their flats.