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In Ahmedabad, crooks build dreams to let them
crash
DHARMENDRASINH CHAVDA
• Paresh Talati, president of the Gujarat Estate and Housing
Developers Association, was an inspector in the Town Development
Office of the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation before he became a
builder. While in AMC, he was suspended for "some dirty dealings''.
•
P G Chaudhary, builder of Tejendra Apartments, who has cheated several
people by selling each flat to more than one person, was a clerk
in a government office. Recently, a court described him as the "chief
of cheats''.
•
Sanjay Akruwala, who allegedly gave only 900 sq ft against the promised
1,200 to buyers in his Ratnamani commercial complex, is the son
of a former Vishwa Hindu Parishad treasurer.
•
Satish Nyalchand Shah, the builder of 10-storey Shikhar Apartments
in Satellite area, a block of which crashed in the quake killing
more than 100 people, had made money in the capital market before
becoming a builder.
These
are just a few examples from the new crop of builders, spawned by
Ahmedabad's urban growth. Corrupt municipal employees, retired officials,
politicians, their relatives, plain crooks — all have turned
builders to make easy money in a permissive system where no one
cares for rules and laws.
They
saw an opportunity in the construction boom that began about 10
years ago and jumped in. "All sorts of people came in. Most
did not know anything about the business. They did not realise that
delivering quality in construction business is not that easy when
you have to get work done by unskilled labour force,'' says Pavan
Bakeri, director of Bakeri Engineers and Industries Ltd. Recalls
well-known architect Yatin Pandya: "The supply was less; the
demand more. Even fly-by-night operators joined the construction
business. And they did not care for quality. In the process, genuine
people were sidelined.'' The result of their greed and professional
incompetence is before all to see. Most buildings that crashed in
the quake are less than 10 years old.
The
most interesting group of builders is that of the former employees
of the Town Development Office (TDO) of AMC, which is supposed to
enforce building rules and laws. The office is a notorious den of
corruption and many of its employees are facing serious charges.
Several work as consultants to builders under assumed names or names
of their relatives. After retirement, they become full-fledged builders.
At
least 10 former TDO employees are builders. One of them is Rakesh
Shah, who built Jalasmruti, Utsav and Poojal flats — all of
which collapsed, killing 10 persons. Shah was a TDO inspector before
he became a builder. Even the president of the Gujarat Estate and
Housing Developers Association, Paresh Talati, is a former TDO inspector
who, according to an officer, was suspended for "some dirty
dealings''.
There
are many others with a shady past. Like Harshad Vaghela of Labh
Constructions. Before becoming a builder, Vaghela was a junior employee
in a nationalised bank and was suspended after his name figured
in an embezzlement case.
Then
there are people with political influence, like Sanjay Akruwala,
who is a chartered accountant by profession. When he built Ratnamani
commercial complex, he covered balconies and added rooms without
permission. From buyers, he took money for 1,200 sq feet, but gave
them only 950 sq feet, of which 400 sq feet was illegal. "He
used his connections to make sure the illegal portions were not
demolished though the city civil court had directed the AMC to take
action,'' said one of the buyers, adding: "When the buyers
kept up the pressure, he filed false criminal complaints against
them.''
Connections
or no connections, never has a builder come to grief for his misdeeds.
P.G. Chaudhary, a government clerk-turned-builder, duped hundreds
by selling flats in his Tejendra Apartments to two or more persons.
In each case, he arranged finance from reputed institutions and
pocketed the cheques.
The
buyers filed cases against Chaudhary. In each case, he was arrested,
but was soon out on bail, although a court described him as the
"chief of cheats''.
As
for the buyers, not only have they not got the flats, but financial
institutions they took loans from have also filed cases against
them and they have to spend money and time defending themselves
in courts.
While
Chaudhary roams free, many builders have vanished after making a
killing, leaving thousands with buildings lacking the facilities
that were promised in colourful brochures. It came to light when
Gujarat High Court, while hearing the cases of fire-safety norms
in high-rises last year, issued notices to construction firms.
Many
notices came back with a note that there was nobody to accept them
at the given address. Inquiries revealed the firms had wound up
long ago.
Other stories in the series
»February
11, 2001: Officials,
professionals hand in glove with builders
»February 10, 2001: The
politician is the builder's best friend here
»February
9, 2001: Builders were
crooks, govt was an accomplice
»February
8, 2001: They built on quicksand of greed
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