Supertech twin towers demolition plan is on, residents get edgy

Noida: Residents living in the vicinity of the twin towers built at Supertech Emerald Court have their concerns about its demolition. The twin 32 storeys towers, which are due for demolition following the August 31, 2021, SC order, have the potential to cause massive and dangerous after-effects. This is what is disturbing the people who are living in the vicinity.

The planned demolition of the twin towers is not only a tall order but a tricky one too. As of now, no building of such proportions has ever been demolished in India. In such a scenario it is expected that the residents living in the vicinity of the buildings will be feeling edgy.

Ranjan Tomar, RTI activist, President NOVRA, says, “A huge population resides near the demolition site. Apart from high-rise buildings, there are several villages such as Gheja, Rohillapur, Sultanpur, Shahpur among others around the site as well. The date of the demolition should be decided to keep the amount of population and the rise in Covid cases in mind. In many countries, there have been instances where such massive demolitions led to unfortunate repercussions. There should also be a disaster management plan if something goes south”.

Also read | Noida Authority's weekly off policy upsets traders

The work of demolition of illegal twin towers built in the Supertech Emerald Court project located at Noida Sector-93A is picking some pace. Four months after the apex court issued the order, the Supertech builder has finally put forth an action plan for the demolition of the twin towers.

Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) has studied the plan and gave some suggestions to the Noida Authority which have further been passed on to the builder. The builder has been asked to come up with a modified plan keeping in mind all the necessary changes. To speed up the process further, Noida Authority has directed the builder to engage in a contract with the concerned company. As the plan gets approved, it will take around three months to prepare for the demolition of the twin towers.

Residents say that it is important to be fully prepared for the day of demolition and its after-effects. As per them, measures such as artificial rain, water cannons among others should be taken to minimise the damage caused by the demolition.

The social workers of the area have written letters to the authorities concerned to highlight these problems. It has been mentioned in the letter that this explosion might give birth to a mushroom-shaped dust cloud for a considerable amount of time and distance. They also mention residents of the surrounding villages and sectors might face several issues. There is also a possibility of damage to animals and vegetation up to a considerable distance. All of this will depend on the meteorological conditions at the time of demolition such as the speed and direction of the wind.

Pushkar Chandna, a senior citizen and resident of Lotus Panache, Sector 110, Noida, says, “It will take several months to prepare for the demolition. Until then, Covid cases might increase. The dust pollution due to the anticipated formation of mushroom-shaped dust clouds might affect the health of people. Residents will have to bear it as no one will be able to shift during the time of Covid. The residents of the neighboring have been asked to shift, saying that there should be no one around the blast area”.