The Noida Authority is believed to have zeroed-in on a tentative date of demolition of the Supertech’s twin 40-storey towers located in Noida’s Sector 93A. While the authority has said that resources can be mobilised immediately and the demolition process can start from February 20, the actual demolition may only happen in ther later half of May. The Noida Authority’s decision came after a meeting with the project’s stakeholders following an order by the Supreme Court. The top court had on Monday asked the New Okhla Industrial Development Authority (NOIDA) to start the demolition process within two weeks.
The Twin Towers are located in Supertech’s Emerald Court society in Sector 93A of the city and were being constructed in violation of building bye-laws. The apex court had in August last year ordered the demolition of the twin towers within three months. With a tentative date of May 22 set for now, the Noida Authority has an unprecedented task at hand. This is the first time that a structure of the Twin Towers’ height will be brought down in India. While the height of the Apex tower is 100 metre, the Ceyane stands 97 metres tall.
The last time that such an exercise was carried out in India was in 2020 when four illegal Maradu waterfront buildings in Kochi were brought down for complying with coastal regulation zone norms. The height of those towers was 70 metre.
NOC’s Required for Demolition
NOIDA CEO Ritu Maheshwari held a meeting with the concerned departments whose no-objection certificates were required by Edifice Engineering, the company hired by Supertech for demolition work. Those who attended the meeting included representatives of Paschimchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam, Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL), UP Pollution Control Board, Police Department, Fire Department, district administration, Petroleum and Explosive Safety Organization, Traffic Police, Emerald Court society’s Resident Welfare Association, ATS Village Apartment Owners’ Association, Supertech and Edifice Engineering were present in the meeting.
The authority confirmed that NOC was granted by all these with certain conditions and suggestions. Edifice Engineering told the authority that permission for purchase, storage and transportation of explosives under the Explosives Act would be obtained by it soon. The Edifice Engineering also informed that certain NOCs for storage, transportation and use of explosives were pending but would be obtained from the government departments within seven days.
Why the neighbouring residents were up in arms against the twin-towers?
While it came to light that twin towers were constructed illegally by flouting norms, the residents have raised their voice against the building citing their concern that it would block sunlight and fresh air to the existing residents of the housing project. On August 31 last year, the top court had ordered the demolition of Supertech Ltd’s twin 40-storey towers within three months for violation of building norms in collusion with NOIDA officials.
Giving relief to the homebuyers, the apex court had directed the Supertech to refund the entire amount of home buyers with 12 per cent interest from the time of the booking. The top court also asked it to pay Rs 2 crore to the RWA of the Emerald Court project for the harassment caused due to the construction of the twin towers.
How will the Twin Towers be brought down?
Mumbai-based Edifice Engineering, hired by the Supertech, has proposed to bring down the 40-storey towers using the Waterfall Implosion collapse technique which is carried out through a controlled explosion. The explosion will bring down the building in a heap, thus protecting the nearby structures. While the demolition process takes around a minute, it will take around six months to prepare for the entire process which includes mobilisation of resources, manpower, planning and evacuation of the nearby residents, if necessary.
Both the towers are around 100 metres high. A report by The Indian Express had quoted Edifice Engineering partner Utkarsh Mehta as saying that the company will rope in Jet Demolition, a South Africa-based company that provides professional demolition services. The company officials had said that it will conduct a pre-blast and post-blast assessment.
As the name suggests, the waterfall technique uses the same mechanism as replicating water hitting the ground from a height. To carry out the waterfall implosion, the agency will first drill holes in the building’s columns and beams to plant explosives inside. A wired mesh will be wrapped around the explosive holding points and geotextile cloth will be placed around the structure to minimize the impact of rubble. The explosives are placed strategically at multiple points so that the building structure falls down on itself, thus forcing the structure under it to go straight downwards. The Edifice Engineering has also proposed to put up multiple shipment containers filled with sandbags at the site to absorb the shock resulted due to the collapse.
