Gurgaon: A multi-storey building in Sector 31 has tilted towards an adjoining plot, triggering the evacuation of four houses amid fears over structural safety. Large cracks have appeared across multiple floors of house number 769, while pillars and floors have reportedly started sinking. Police have directed occupants of houses 764, 768, 769 and 771 to vacate their properties as a precaution following the tilt by around two to two-and-a-half inches.Preliminary information has suggested that excavation at neighbouring plot 770, where foundation work was under way, may have contributed to the damage. The allegation is that soil along the foundation was excavated in one stretch, from the front to the rear, potentially leaving the adjoining building without adequate support.Two cranes have been deployed to support the structure as residents move their belongings out of the building. Notices have been issued to the residents, asking them to leave at the earliest. Police personnel have also reached the site and are advising occupants to shift to safer locations to avoid any risk from a possible further deterioration of the structure.Four families living in house 769 are among those affected. The building comprises stilt parking and residential floors, with owners Manoj Bhasin, Praveen Atre, J Gopalakrishnan and Amit Vashishth facing the prospect of leaving their homes. Residents have started removing furniture and other belongings as uncertainty grows over when, or whether, they will be able to return.A senior HSVP official said, “A notice has been issued to the owner of house number 770, seeking a response. Building regulations provide that if construction damages an adjoining building, further construction will not be permitted until the damage is repaired or the dispute is resolved through mutual agreement between the parties. Further action will be taken as per rules until the damage is compensated for and the matter is resolved.”However, the precise cause of the tilting and the extent of structural damage are yet to be established through an official technical assessment. The condition of the foundation, supporting pillars and adjoining structures will be crucial in determining the measures needed to secure the building.The affected homeowners have expressed concern over the future of their property and the arrangements for stabilising or repairing it. They have also raised questions over what steps will be taken to restore the building’s safety and address the damage allegedly caused during the neighbouring plot’s construction.With the building leaning and cracks visible across several levels, the immediate concern is to prevent further deterioration and ensure the safety of residents in the surrounding houses. The evacuation order is a precautionary measure while the risks associated with the damaged structure are assessed.The incident comes days after a similar case was reported in Sushant Lok-1, raising fresh concerns over the impact of excavation work on adjoining buildings in densely built residential neighbourhoods. In Sushant Lok-I’s C Block, a building tilted after excavation at an adjoining plot. The recurrence has brought renewed attention to the need for adequate safety precautions during foundation work, particularly where buildings stand close together and excavation can potentially affect neighbouring structures. A technical assessment will be necessary to establish the cause of the damage and determine whether the affected building can be stabilised and repaired safely.
