The Supertech Twin Towers in Noida were demolished today using 3,700 kg of explosives.
The Supertech Twin Towers in Uttar Pradesh's Noida were demolished today, a year after the Supreme Court ordered that the illegally-built structures be brought down. The nearly 100-metre-high towers fell like a pack of cards within 9 seconds, courtesy 3,700 kg of explosives.
With the demolition done, the next challenge for authorities now is to clean the mountain of debris generated. Officials involved with the operation had earlier said about 55,000 tonnes of debris would be generated. The debris includes rubble, steel and iron bars. It may take as many as three months to clear the debris. The waste will be dumped at designated areas.
Water sprinklers and anti-smog guns have already been brought in at the site to mitigate dust, an official said.
Noida authorities will today also conduct a safety audit and structural analysis to assess the damage caused to nearby societies. Noida Chief Executive Officer Ritu Maheshwari said that no damage has been reported yet and only some debris came towards the road.
"Broadly, no damage to nearby housing societies. Only some bit of debris has come towards the road. We will get a better idea of the situation in an hour," Ritu Maheshwari said.
The twin towers are being demolished after a legal battle that lasted 9 years. Residents of Supertech Emerald Court society moved the court in 2012 after these towers were approved as part of a revised building plan. They said the towers were built at a site where was garden was initially planned. Illegalities were found in approvals and some officials faced action. The Allahabad High Court ordered the demolition in 2014. The case then went to the Supreme Court. Last August, the court gave three months to demolish the towers, but it's taken a year due to technical difficulties.