The Supertech twin towers in Noida are set to be demolished today, August 28, at 2.30 pm. Preparations for the demolition have been on for several days. The plan was finalised in a meeting with the members of the residents' groups of the two adjoining societies, Emerald Court and ATS Villages, the representatives of demolition firm Edifice Engineering, Noida Police, and the Fire Department, among others.
Why are the twin towers being demolished?
In 2014, the Residents' Welfare Association (RWA) of Emerald Court Group Housing Society of Noida filed a petition in the Allahabad High Court alleging that the twin towers were constructed in violation of the UP Apartments Act of 2010.
The twin towers, Ceyane (29 storeys) and Apex (32 storeys), were constructed by Supertech, a prominent construction company in the Delhi-NCR. The towers, nearly 100 metres tall (which is higher than the Qutab Minar), have 857 flats, of which 600 had been sold.
The Allahabad High Court ruled in favour of the RWA and ordered the demolition of the twin towers in 2014. However, Supertech approached the Supreme Court against the verdict.
In August 2021, a Bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and MR Shah upheld the Allahabad High Court order. The top court observed the project was a result of "nefarious complicity" between the Noida Authority and Supertech and directed the infrastructure company to demolish the buildings at their own cost within three months and refund those who have purchased flats in two months.
The demolition was repeatedly deferred, and earlier this month, the Supreme Court set August 28 as the final date for the demolition of the towers.
Here's how the towers be demolished
As per the demolition firm Edifice Engineering officials, over
3,500 kgs of explosives will be used to raze the twin towers. The impact of the demolition will be maximum on the Emerald Court and ATS Village societies.
"It will take nine to 10 seconds for all the explosives to blast in a series making a loud noise," said Edifice Engineering partner Utkarsh Mehta.
The demolition is expected to leave behind 35,000 cubic metres of debris. A large part of it will be accommodated in the basement of the building and the rest will be processed scientifically in an isolated location within Noida.
Traffic management
The Noida-Greater Noida Expressway will be unavailable for traffic movement from 2.15 pm to 2.45 pm on August 28. The Metro will be shut for half an hour as well. The 2-km radius of the Supertech twin towers will be closed completely and only emergency vehicles will be allowed in the evacuation zone.
Evacuation and safety measures
Over 5,000 residents of Emerald Court and ATS Village societies
will be evacuated ahead of the demolition. Over 2,500 vehicles will also be removed, and emergency services will be made available in the vicinity during the demolition process.
An exclusion zone of 450 metres in front of the twin towers has been marked in which no person, vehicle or animal will be allowed to enter.
Arrangements have been made for the Emerald Court residents in nearby societies. The residents, who will stay at Parsvnath Prestige and Purvanchal Silver City will be given food and beverages on the demolition day.
Additionally, around 50 beds have been reserved for residents at the Felix Hospital in Sector 137, including beds for 12 bedridden residents of Emerald Court, The Economic Times reported. An ambulance will also be provided to cater to any medical emergency.
(Edited by : Shoma Bhattacharjee)
First Published: Aug 28, 2022 12:23 PM IST
