CHENNAI: THE corridors of the Tamil Nadu Urban Habitat Development Board tenements in KP Park at Pulianthope are pockmarked by cracks almost large enough to allow a passerby to peer through the eroding walls opened only five years ago. For the residents of G block, who moved here from slums near Island Grounds, the cracks grow deeper and longer every passing day and fear of the building collapsing is ever-constant, yet respite remains elusive.
Activists have been raising concerns about the construction quality of the 1,558 KP Park tenements that house 7,790 people for years now. In 2021, the poor building quality and allegations of corruption put the tenements under the scanner. The DMK government, which had just come to power, assigned IIT-Madras’ Centre for Urbanisation, Buildings and Environment (CUBE) with the task of assessing the buildings’ quality and filing a report. CUBE took taken samples from blocks A to D of the tenements for assessment and, in its report, concluded that 90% of the samples had failed to meet plastering specifications. The report also raised issues of inadequate concrete strength, shortcomings in tiling works, and seepages and suggested a slew of repair measures.
Since then, residents said minor repair works have been attended to but more serious issues such as of walls cracking and water seepage remain unaddressed even as these problems have emerged in G and other blocks. “This is a major safety concern and we live in fear of the collapse of the building. Leakages have also become common during rains,” Vimal, a resident, told TNIE.
An assessment by the Information and Resource Centre for the Deprived Urban Communities (IRCDUC) in Chennai at the tenements flagged several other safety issues, especially for women and children, that need immediate attention.
As per the assessment report, the sink for washing vessels is provided in balconies which have no grills and have poor lighting, posing a risk to children and adults. The report recommended an independent audit to assess the quality of the houses. “After the assessment, the government should ensure the safety of the residents by fixing the issues at the earliest,” said Vanessa Peter from the IRCDUC.
Meanwhile, activists allege that no action was taken against the construction company and errant officials for the lapses in the construction. “The CUBE report lucidly explained the compromises made in the construction. However, the government is yet to take action,” said Jayaram Venkatesan, convenor of Arappor Iyakkam.