Noida Authority directs Supertech to mobilise resources for demolition of Noida twin towers by February 20

The Noida Authority on February 9 directed Supertech, that had constructed the 40-storey twin towers in Noida whose demolition has been ordered by the Supreme Court, and Edifice Engineering to start mobilising men, material and machines for the demolition exercise by February 20.

These directions were given at a meeting convened by Noida Authority CEO Ritu Maheshwari on February 9 to finalise the roadmap to demolish the Supertech twin towers.

The meeting was attended by officials from the district administration, police, discom PVVNL, Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL), the state pollution control board, the controller of explosives, and the RWAs of both Emerald Court and ATS Greens Village, which is the immediate neighbour of the twin towers.

Most of them have given their no-objection certificate (NOC) with conditions and Edifice has been asked to follow those suggestions, a Noida Authority statement said.

The Authority said that the demolition exercise should be completed by May 22 and debris should be removed from the site by the developer by August 22.

Edifice Engineering, which has been roped in by Supertech to demolish the illegal structures, has informed Noida Authority that there will not be any impact of the demolition on the GAIL pipeline. They have also informed that permission to purchase and transport the explosives to the site will be received soon.

It was decided at the meeting that by February 25, Edifice can provide the blast design and vibration analysis to GAIL which can be reviewed by GAIL following which directions can be issued by GAIL by March 25, the statement said.

Noida police have been asked to issue NOC to carry explosives within seven days.

The Supreme Court on February 7 had directed that the demolition of the 40-storey twin towers constructed by Supertech Ltd start within two weeks.

“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,” a bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and Surya Kant had said and had asked the CEO to convene a meeting with all agencies concerned with the demolition including GAIL within 72 hours so as to finalise the dates and schedule for it.

The bench expressed displeasure over the demolition delay and said, "We don't want to get into permissions and all. It is not our concern. You tell us what is the status of the demolition. We are not going to go into which authority is going to give the permission that is your duty. It is an order of the Supreme Court. You have to comply with it."

The counsel for Supertech had submitted that one of the NOCs relates to GAIL as there is a high-pressure gas pipeline which is 16 metres away from the building to be demolished and it has a depth of three metres.

On January 12, the top court pulled up the builder for not complying with its orders to demolish the twin 40-story towers in sector 93 of Noida and warned that its directors will be sent to jail for "playing truant with the court".

The apex court had on August 31, 2021, directed that the entire amount paid for by homebuyers be refunded with 12 percent interest from the time of the booking and the Residents Welfare Association be paid Rs 2 crore for the harassment caused due to the construction of the twin towers.

The court on August 31 had also ordered the demolition of the structures located in Sector 93A within three months. The construction violated the minimum distance requirement and had been built illegally without taking the consent of the individual flat owners as required under the UP Apartment Act, the top court had added.