A nine-year-long saga came to an end in 12 seconds when the 100-metre tall Supertech twin towers — Apex and Ceyane — were reduced to rubble on Sunday in Uttar Pradesh’s Noida.
Residents of nearby buildings, who were evacuated on Sunday morning, returned to their homes late Sunday night and the gas supply was also resumed for the neighbours.
Noida Authority CEO Ritu Maheshwari said the demolition was a success; Joe Brinkman of South African firm Jet Demolitions, the firm involved in the demolition process, also hailed the successful pulling down, saying that India had joined the club of countries that have razed buildings taller than 100 metres.
Now that the process is done and dusted, what awaits the residents living in the area? Did the demolition cause any damage to the surroundings? What does the future look like for the neighbours of the twin towers?
We take a closer look and give you the answers you are looking for.
Was there any damage?
Using 3,700 kg of explosives, officials razed a total of 915 residential apartments and 21 shops on Sunday.
While no one was injured and there was no major damage caused, reports have stated that a boundary wall and some glass windows were damaged at a neighbouring society as the towers came down.
“A 10-metre boundary wall collapsed and some glass windows were shattered at ATS village. Supertech Emerald (another neighbouring society) did not suffer any damage,” Mayur Mehta, project manager, Edifice Engineering, Mumbai-based company tasked with demolishing the towers, was quoted as saying.
Animal conservationists believe that some birds may have died in the demolition. This claim comes after a PTI video showed a flock of birds, including crows and pigeons taking flight as soon as 3,700 kilos of explosives bored into the pillars and walls of the two towers went off, with clouds of dust chasing them.
Supertech twin towers in Noida being demolished a year after Supreme Court’s direction to raze the illegally built structures (Video by Rajesh Mahapatra) pic.twitter.com/OgTYn1NVXF
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) August 28, 2022
Dealing with pollution and debris
Following the demolition, anti-smog guns and water sprinklers were used to spray water droplets in the air to settle the dust particles flying around. Smoke guns, water tankers and mechanical sweeping machines were installed to help in the cleaning process. A sanitation team was also deployed at the site.
There were massive concerns about air pollution spiking in the area owing to the demolition process. However, Noida Authority noted that there was no major change recorded in the air quality in areas adjoining Noida’s Sector 93 A after the demolition.
After the demolition, the AQI in sectors 91, 125, 62, 1 and 116 stood at 57, 122, 109, 120 and 123, respectively at 3 pm.
At 8 pm, the AQI rose marginally to 67 in Sector 91, 127 in Sector 125, 114 in Sector 62, 129 in Sector 1, and 131 in Sector 116, Central Pollution Control Board data showed.
As the Supertech twin towers were razed to the ground, doctors said people living in nearby areas, especially those suffering from respiratory diseases, should take extra care and avoid the area for a few days if possible.
Another concern is the clearing of the debris — it has been reported that the razing of the twin towers caused around 80,000 tonnes of it.
Noida, UP | Mountain of debris laid bare, in wake of the demolition of #SupertechTwinTowers pic.twitter.com/RuKdqkNrlH
— ANI (@ANI) August 28, 2022
As per plans, nearly 30,000 tonnes of debris would be removed from the site, while the remaining would be used to level the ground for laying the foundation of a proposed park.
The Ramky Group, tasked with removal of the debris, has been given three months.
A statement issued by the Authority on Friday had said that around 28,000 metric tonnes of construction and demolition waste will be sent to the processing plant situated in Sector 80 where it will be processed scientifically.
It has also been reported that the space where the buildings once stood will now be turned into a green space.
Noida Authority CEO Ritu Maheshwari reiterating the plan, said, “The land belongs to the developer. However, it will be developed into a green area to be used by residents of Emerald Court. There is no other plan.”
However, the wait for a green open space would be a long, lonely wait.
What about the homebuyers?
Even as the Supertech twin towers were reduced to rubble on Sunday, homebuyers who have invested in the developer’s other projects across the NCR wondered “who actually got punished” as they are clueless whether they would get possession of their flats booked years ago.
Arun Mishra, a Gurugram resident who booked a flat in Supertech’s Hill Town project on the outskirts of Gurugram in 2015, told news agency PTI, “One thing that I did not understand from twin towers story is ‘who actually got punished’. Just demolition of illegal towers is sufficient? Why wasn’t the builder sent to jail? Homebuyers used their hard earned money to buy their dream homes. What they got in return: mental trauma and endless wait to get refund.”
As per the Supreme Court order, the homebuyers who had booked their flats in the twin towers will get their full refund with an interest of 12 per cent.
A News18 report said that the court said the homebuyers will get their total refund eventually.
However, the wait is undoubtedly going to be a long one — leaving several homebuyers in a lurch.
With inputs from agencies
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