Explained: Everything you need to know about the Noida Supertech twin towers demolition - India News

2022-09-24 03:22:18 By : Ms. Carol Huang

Supertech's 40-storey twin towers. Photograph:( PTI )

Authorities and government organisations are confronting several obstacles prior to demolition as preparations are in full force and nearing completion. There has also been discussion over the years on the environmental effects of such extensive demolitions and what they might signal for upcoming construction projects.

This Sunday, 28 August, the Supertech twin towers in Noida, Uttar Pradesh will be reduced to dust and rubble in about 15 seconds with the use of 3,700 kg of explosives. These skyscrapers, which are taller than Qutub Minar in Delhi, will be India's tallest buildings ever to be demolished. 

Authorities and government organisations are confronting several obstacles prior to the demolition as the twin towers are located very close to a residential complex. There has also been discussion over the years on the environmental effects of such extensive demolitions and what they might signal for upcoming construction projects.

Here is a comprehensive guide to help you understand the why, how, and where of the demolition case, the preparation in line, and the consequences as the D-day draws closer:

Where are the Supertech twin towers located?

Sector 93A in Noida, close to the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway, is where the twin (40-storey) towers Apex and Ceyane are situated. Within these two towers are over 900 apartments. They are a component of the Noida, Uttar Pradesh-based Supertech project Emerald Court. A total of about 7.5 lakh square feet is occupied by the two towers.

When will the building be torn down?

On August 28 at 2.30 pm, the twin towers are planned for demolition.

Exactly why are the towers being demolished?

The twin towers were ordered to be demolished by the Supreme Court after noting that they were constructed unlawfully. The Emerald Court Group Housing Society Residents' Welfare Association previously filed a petition, alleging that the development violated the 2010 UP Apartments Act. As per PTI reports, it was also claimed that their building violated the minimum distance requirement of 16 metres from an adjoining block, making it unsafe. 

The Supreme Court had mandated the towers' destruction in 2021. According to reports, these were allegedly constructed without obtaining the individual flat owners' agreement as required by the UP Apartment Act. 

Who will conduct the demolition?

The Supertech Twin buildings will be demolished by the Mumbai-based Edifice Engineering and its South African associate company, Jet Demolitions.

How is the demolition going to happen?

The implosion method will be used to destroy the structures. About 3,700 kg of explosives is being used for the demolition.

The Apex tower includes 11 major blast floors, where all of the columns on each floor will have explosives installed and blasted, and seven secondary floors, where 60% of the columns will be blasted, according to project specifications. 

How much time will the demolition take? 

The astounding event will only last for roughly 15 seconds. Utkarsh Mehta, a partner in the demolition company Edifice Engineering, was quoted by PTI as saying "It will take nine to 10 seconds for all the explosives to blast in a series making a loud noise."

He said that the projected period for dust dispersion is 10 minutes. "After the blasts, the structures won't come down all at once and would take four to five seconds to come down fully," he said.

What will the cost of the demolition be?

The twin towers' demolition will probably cost close to Rs 20 crore because it requires a lot of explosives, labour and equipment.

What volume of debris can be expected?

Approximately 35,000 cubic metres of rubble are anticipated to be left behind after the destruction of the buildings, according to projections made by the project's administrators.

Additionally, two societies — Emerald Court and the neighbouring ATS Village — and their residents would be most affected by the demolition of the roughly 100-metre-tall twin towers, according to the officials.

What arrangements are being made for the demolition?

- On August 28, more than 5,000 people will leave the Emerald Court and ATS Village organisations. The residents must leave the property by 7:30 am, and only those who have received safety clearance from Edifice may return after 4 pm.

- More than 2,500 automobiles will no longer be part of society. The Botanical Garden metro station's multilevel parking structure will include space for them as per the Noida Authority. More than 5,000 automobiles can comfortably fit in the parking lot of the metro station at a time.

- There will be restrictions on entry for people, cars, and animals in the vicinity of the twin towers.

- On August 28, from 2.15 to 2.45 p.m., the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway will be closed to vehicular traffic.

- The road built behind the park in front of the twin towers will be used to park emergency vehicles such as ambulances and fire trucks.

- There are about 50 beds set aside at the Felix Hospital in Sector 137 for residents in case they get sick, including 12 beds for Emerald Court residents who are bedridden, according to PTI reports. 

- On August 28, there will only be 10 workers left at the demolition site. Two Indian blasters, Edifice project manager Mayur Mehta, and seven personnel of its South African expert partner Jet Demolition will be among these.

- Additionally, the Noida Police issued a directive prohibiting the use of drones in urban airspace from August 26 through August 31, citing safety concerns in light of Supertech's unlawful structures being demolished. "Drones will not be operated by any private person or institution from August 26 to 31. Violation of this order will be an offense punishable under IPC Section 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by government officials)," the order states.

What happens with the debris generated?

- It shall be discarded in accordance with the 2016 Waste Management Rules for Construction and Demolition.

- There would need to be 1,200 to 1,300 truck loads of material removed from the location. Sector 80 is home to the Noida Authority's 300-ton per day capacity construction and demolition waste management facility. It is still unclear, though, if it would be processed there given the amount of debris that would be removed, according to PTI.

- All of the debris, according to the authorities, won't be wasted. The destruction is expected to yield around 4,000 tonnes of iron and steel, which the Edifice intends to use to partially recoup the demolition cost.

- Both Emerald Court and ATS Village societies will have geo-textile covering. For the entire process, 110 km of wired mesh comprised of galvanised iron and geotextile weighing about 225 tonnes will be used.

In preparation for Supertech's twin 40-story towers' scheduled demolition on August 28, buildings in a nearby neighbourhood in Noida are being covered. Photo credits: PTI

Ishtiaq Ahmed, the general manager of planning for the Noida Authority, was quoted by PTI as saying that 21,000 cubic metres of the rubble will be deposited on a remote plot of land that was five to six hectares in size. He stated that the remaining rubble would be thrown into a pit that has been created in the twin towers' basement sections.

Will the buyers receive their investment in the twin skyscrapers back?

Prior to this, the Supreme Court had instructed the government to return homebuyers their whole purchase price plus 12 percent interest starting at the time of booking. Additionally, it stipulated that the RWA of the Emerald Court project shall receive Rs 2 crore as compensation for the harassment brought on by the twin tower building.

The Supertech Emerald Court Project's investors and homeowners were entitled to receive their money back by January 17, 2022, along with 12 percent interest, according the court's directives.

Has a demolition like this taken place in the past?

In Kerala's Kochi district, the Supreme Court had two years ago ordered a demolition action against four illegal seaside housing complexes. The final two high towers were demolished using a controlled implosion technique, bringing the demolition campaign for Kochi's unlawful Maradu flats to an end.

#WATCH Maradu flats demolition: H2O Holy Faith apartment tower demolished through controlled implosion #Kerala pic.twitter.com/fKbciLGH14

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