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What TV doesn't, print can't; we deliver.
The infamous ₹500cr twin towers of Noida, symbols of how the high and mighty connived with the unscrupulous to contravene the rules, finally came crashing down on Sunday.
The infamous ₹500cr twin towers of Noida, symbols of how the high and mighty connived with the unscrupulous to contravene the rules, finally came crashing down on Sunday.
Hundreds of people came out to watch the demolition live – some travelled all the way from Thane – to see Supertech’s 102m Apex and 97m Cayenne in Uttar Pradesh’s Noida finally bite the dust in just seven seconds.
Speaking to The New Indian, Manoj Prajapati, who came from Maharashtra’s Thane to witness the demolition drive, said, “This is just the beginning of the demolition drive on the orders of the Supreme Court. This illegal construction is prevalent in every part of the country. And the land mafias will get a message from this drive.”
Prajapati, who was seen shouting Mera Bharat Mahaan, also said that this moment has become a historical moment in the country. “I am 60 years old and this decision has come in a span of nine years, whereas in most cases we have seen decades of legal battle and generations fighting the cases,” he said.
Sunil Garg, a builder from Delhi, said he brought his children to the site as he wanted them to learn from the whole incident. “This is a moment which my children will never forget and it will help them in their lives,” Garg said.
Putting the blame on the Noida Authority, which allowed the builder to flout norms, Garg said that the guilty need to be punished. “Noida Authority is completely responsible for this mess. These twin towers were an example of the corruption of the officials of the Noida Authority,” he said.
Garg also hoped that the demolition of the twin towers would serve as a warning for those who indulge in corruption. “We have seen that none of the corrupt officials are taken to task. But this demolition has given a clear message to the builders to not indulge in corruption,” Garg added.
It was a busy Sunday afternoon in Noida as senior officials of the district administration were present to oversee the demolition. Gautam Buddha Nagar DM Suhas LY, Police commissioner Alok Singh and Noida Authority CEO Ritu Maheshwari were present to ensure that the orders of the Supreme Court are executed properly.
The apex court had ordered the demolition of the twin towers, citing norms that had been flouted in their construction.
SC had earlier dismissed a plea by Supertech, the real estate firm that owned the twin towers, seeking modification of its August 31, 2021 order by which it was directed to demolish two of its 40-storey towers at its Emerald Court housing project.
While directing the demolition of two towers over grave violations of building norms, SC had said that it was a result of “nefarious complicity” between Noida Authority and Supertech and ordered that the company should carry out the demolition at its own expense within three months under the supervision of the Noida Authority and an expert body like the Central Building Research Institute.
The twin towers came into controversy after the Resident Welfare Association (RWA) said that the twin towers were built in violation of fire safety norms, and open space norms.
As per the real estate rules and regulations, the distance between two adjacent buildings should be kept at 16m, and any structure with a height of 18m, must have a distance of 16m from its neighbouring structures. This gap is crucial for fire safety. However, the distance between T (Tower)-16 and T-17, with a height of more than 18m respectively, was kept at only 9m, thus violating the fire safety norms.
Moreover, the gap between T-1 and T-17 was also kept at only 9m as the garden space area near T-1 was utilised for the construction of the twin towers.
Despite the serious violation of safety norms, the twin towers received a no objection certificate (NOC) for the construction of twin towers from the Noida Authority.
The authorities had made elaborate arrangements for the demolition drive. The residents, approximately 5000, of the adjacent buildings were shifted to safer locations.
Diversions were placed on all the roads leading to the twin towers in Sector 93A while the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway, barely 200 metres from the demolition site, was closed for vehicular movement from 2 pm to 3 pm.
After the explosion, Alok Singh, Noida CP, said, “Largely the exercise is as per plans. Our team of experts are on the ground making assessments.”
Noida Authority CEO Maheshwari said: “The demolition is largely successful and a team from Jet Demolition and Edifice are on the ground to check if there are any explosives left.”
She added that the gas and electricity connections will be restored soon and residents will be allowed to enter after 6.30 pm.
