New Delhi: Supertech’s twin towers in Noida, which are taller than Delhi’s Qutub Minar, are all set to be demolished today (August 28, 2022). The nearly 100-meter-tall structures at Emerald Court Project of Sector 93A of Noida will be brought down in less than 15 seconds and will become the tallest structures yet in India to be demolished. The demolition of the twin towers will take place at 2.30 pm, Noida Authority CEO Ritu Maheshwari told news agency PTI.
Over 3,700 kg explosives will be used to bring down the structures in pursuance of a Supreme Court order that found their construction within the Emerald Court society premises in violation of norms.
Around 5,000 residents of Emerald Court and adjoining ATS Village societies in Sector 93A have to vacate their premises by 7 am today.
The closest buildings next to the twin towers are Aster 2 and Aster 3 of Emerald Court society which are just nine metres away. The demolition would be done in a manner so as not to cause any structural damage to other buildings.
Twin tower demolition to be carried out through waterfall implosion technique
Mumbai-based Edifice Engineering has been tasked with safely pulling down the structures. Edifice has roped in South African experts Jet Demolitions for the project. The whole exercise is being overseen by the local Noida Authority.
Only six people, including three foreign experts, Edifice Engineering’s project manager Mayur Mehta, Indian blaster Chetan Dutta, and a police officer will remain within the exclusion zone to push the button for the blast.
The demolition of the twin towers will be carried out through the waterfall implosion technique which would bring them down within a few seconds literally like a house of cards. The eye-popping event would leave behind a whopping 55,000 tonnes of debris, even as some estimates put the figure at 80,000 tonnes. The debris would take an estimated three months to be cleared and disposed of.
Noida-Greater Noida Expressway to be closed during Supertech twin tower demolition
Diversions would be placed on roads leading to the twin towers in Noida Sector 93A from Sunday morning while the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway, barely 200 metres from the demolition site, would be closed for vehicular movement from 2 pm to 3 pm.
Google maps will have updated feeds for diversions and real-time traffic situations on Sunday, an official said, adding that arrangements have been made for the movement of emergency vehicles.
The city will also remain a no-fly zone for drones.
The air space in one nautical mile radius above the blast will also remain briefly unavailable for flights during demolition time.
Noida twin towers demolition: People asked to wear face masks
Meanwhile, in an advisory issued to the public Saturday evening, the Noida Authority asked people, especially children, the elderly, and patients, living in nearby areas to wear face masks in the aftermath of the demolition as a precautionary measure.
The authority especially asked residents of nearby Parsvnath Prestige, Parsvnath Srishti societies, village Gejha, and others in Sectors 93, 93A, 93B, and 92 to wear face masks after 2.30 pm.
Around 400 police personnel have been deployed for law and order duty, and PAC and NDRF personnel would also be on the ground for any contingencies.
Why are Noida’s Supertech twin towers being demolished?
The Noida twin towers are being demolished in pursuance of a Supreme Court order of August 2021 that found their construction within the Emerald Court society premises in violation of norms.
On August 31 last year, the top court ordered the demolition of the towers under construction within three months for violation of building norms in “collusion” with NOIDA officials, holding that illegal construction has to be dealt with strictly to ensure compliance with the rule of law.
The apex court had also directed that the entire amount of home buyers be refunded with 12 per cent interest from the time of the booking and the RWA of Emerald Court project be paid Rs 2 crore for the harassment caused due to the construction of the twin towers, which would have blocked sunlight and fresh air to the existing residents of the housing project adjoining the national capital.
(With agency inputs)