Noida Supertech twin towers demolished after nine-year-long legal battle, residents evacuated

The Supertech twin towers in Noida were demolished at 2.30 pm on Sunday after a nine-year-long legal battle, ANI reported.

The buildings called Apex and Ceyane, taller than Delhi’s iconic Qutub Minar, were built by private developer Supertech on the green area of their multi-storey housing society called Emerald Court in Sector 93A of Noida.

The towers, found to be in violation of multiple construction norms, were the country’s tallest structures ever to be demolished, according to PTI.

Mumbai-based Edifice Engineering and its South African partner firm Jet Demolition
placed over 3,700 kilograms of explosives to bring down the structures in a mere 12 seconds. Edifice Engineering loaded nearly 7,000 drilled holes with explosives, according to IANS.

Explosives were placed strategically to ensure minimal damage to the surroundings as some of the adjacent apartment buildings are just nine metres away from the twin towers. The buildings fell inwards like a cascade and each floor came down one after another, in what is described as the “waterfall technique”.

Noida Authority Chief Executive Officer Ritu Maheshwari claimed that no damage to nearby housing societies occurred, ANI reported.

“Only some bit of debris has come towards the road,” she said. “We will get a better idea of the situation in an hour. Cleaning is being done, gas and electricity supply will be restored in the area while people will be allowed to enter the neighbouring societies after 6.30 pm.”

Residents evacuated

On Sunday, around 5,000 residents of Emerald Court and the adjoining residential complex ATS Greens Village were evacuated. “The cooking gas and electricity supplies have been discontinued,” a police official told PTI. “They will be resumed after security clearance post demolition later.”

Edifice Engineering Project Manager Mayur Mehta said six persons, including three foreign experts, were allowed inside what the authorities called an “exclusion zone” to set off the implosion.

Earlier, residents of the neighbouring areas had raised concerns that vibrations and shockwaves from the demolition could damage their structures. But when Mehta was asked about how confident he was about the implosion, he told PTI, “100%. I don’t have any other word. We are 100% confident.”

His brother and partner Utkarsh Mehta had also assured residents of adjoining societies that there will be no damage to their homes, except for chances of “cosmetic cracks” on outer paint and plasters of some structures.

The Noida Authority has asked residents, especially children, elderly and patients, living in nearby areas to wear face masks in the aftermath of the demolition as a precautionary measure.

The service roads around exclusion zones have been shut down, while the section of the Noida Expressway adjacent to the area has been blocked for an hour for the operation, The Indian Express reported.

One nautical mile (approximately 1.8 kilometres) of air space around the twin towers was also declared a no-fly zone.

Over 500 police personnel and four Quick Response Teams have been deployed in Noida.

The violation

On August 31, 2021, the Supreme Court had ordered the demolition of these buildings for serious violations of building regulations and fire safety norms.

The court passed the order while hearing a public interest litigation filed by the Resident Welfare Association of the Emerald Court, that was proposed to have 14 towers of nine floors spread out in 11 acres of land.

“In 2012, the Noida authority reviewed the map and allowed the construction of twin towers with 30 to 40 floors,” the Resident Welfare Association added. “Worst that it was built on the green land inside the society.”

A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and MR Shah had said the modification of the plan was done without the consent of the flat owners, and thereby violating the Uttar Pradesh Apartments Act, 2010. The judges upheld a 2014 ruling of the Allahabad High Court ordering the demolition of the buildings.

The Supreme Court had also directed Supertech that the entire amount paid by homebuyers has to be refunded with 12% interest from the time of the booking and that the Residents Welfare Association should be paid Rs 2 crore for the harassment caused due to the construction of the twin towers.

On Sunday, an hour before the demolition, Supertech in a statement said the twin towers were constructed according to the building plan approved by Noida development authorities and no deviations were made.

“We have completed and given delivery of more than 70,000 units to homebuyers and are committed to give delivery to remaining homebuyers as per schedule time frame,” the firm added. “We assure all our home buyers that the order of Supreme Court will not affect any other ongoing project and all other projects will continue.”