The court has directed the Noida Authority to finalise the schedule for demolition at Emerald Court.
Demolition of the illegally raised twin 40-storied towers of real estate developer Supertech in Noida will begin in two weeks, the Supreme Court said today. The court has directed the Noida Authority to convene a meeting of the agencies concerned within 72 hours and finalise the schedule for demolition at the Emerald Court.
A bench comprising Justices D Y Chandrachud and Surya Kant said, "The CEO Noida shall take all necessary steps for observing directions of this court, work of demolition shall commence no later than two weeks from this order".
On January 17, the top court had approved the proposition for the demolition agency finalised by the Noida Authority. Supertech was asked to sign a contract with the agency, "Edifice", within a week.
Earlier, the court had pulled up the builder for not complying with its orders to demolish the twin towers in Sector 93 of Noida and warned that its directors will be sent to jail for "playing truant with the court".
The real estate major had informed the court that it would need more than the allotted three months to carry out a safe demolition process.
The Supreme Court has also asked Supertech to refund the money with interest to all home-buyers who have booked flats in the twin tower project by February 28.
"Don't make them come to the court with contempt petitions", the bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and Bela Trivedi said while hearing petitions by home buyers.
The realty firm was accused of building two 40-storey towers illegally at the Emerald Court housing project. The expansion involved more than 900 new flats and 21 shops.
The residents of the housing project then went to court, claiming the twin towers were being built in violation of norms and their consent was not taken for the expansion.
In 2014, the Allahabad High Court had ordered the demolition of the twin towers. The Supreme Court upheld the verdict last year, turning down the plea by Supertech.