Residents of the city’s tallest residential building, Takshashila Air, in the Ellis Bridge area staged a protest with banners against builders Kamlesh Gondaliya and Parthil Gondaliya over defunct elevators and other problems. The residents of this 25-floor building said they feel like they are under house arrest due to the non-functioning of any single lift.
This 25-storey building consists of two towers. A total of 167 families live in this 194-flat scheme, which was highlighted as the city’s tallest residential towers scheme when it was for sale. The residents complain that two lifts have been shut down for a long time, while two others keep malfunctioning intermittently. One flat owner reported that one lift collapsed from the 11th floor to the ground floor two days ago. The only lift that was operational has been shut for the last four days. The residents protested with banners stating that Kamlesh Gondaliya and Parthil Gondaliya are cheaters.
The residents mentioned that they have filed complaints with RERA, with the next hearing scheduled for November 20. They also approached the Ellis Bridge police station regarding cheating by the builders, but the police inspector refused to entertain their complaints, stating that it was an internal matter between the flat owners and the builder.
One resident, who lives on the 7th floor, said his mother weighs 130 kg. She was advised by Jivraj Mehta Hospital that she needs an angiography, but she is unable to reach the ground floor due to the lift shutdown.
He noted that the builder has Rs. 8 crore in deposit money from flat owners, but there is mismanagement. The builder reportedly spent Rs. 54 lakh from the fund due to a fire incident. There are also issues involving fire extinguishers and water seepage in the basements from a nearby construction site, among others.
The residents said the builder collected two years’ maintenance money in advance from each owner, totaling around Rs. 2.88 crore. The lifetime deposit amount is estimated to be Rs. 4.50 crore, including interest. According to RERA, the builder is required to pay maintenance until the apartments are sold. Thus, the builder owes Rs. 2.26 crore to the flat owners.
A notice in the building’s lift read: “This morning, a member of flat 1203 was stuck in the lift and fell from the first floor to the ground floor. For safety purposes, we have shut down the lift. We acknowledge that no single lift is functional, but we must prioritize safety.”