Sound levels at the site of the demolished Supertech Twin Towers in Noida, where the debris is still being cleared, were found to be above permissible limits, validating complaints of residents in the neighbourhood, people familiar with the matter said.
The Noida Authority conducted sound level tests in three zones – at the site, around the demolition site, and inside the houses of the residents of nearby buildings – following the complaints, the people said.
“Sound tests were conducted three-four days back to check noise pollution levels. During the fresh tests, noise levels were found to be higher than the permissible limits,” one person told Moneycontrol. The authority will decide whether to reduce the number of machines to keep the noise within limits.
The two almost 100-metre towers, taller than the Qutub Minar, were demolished on August 28 on the Supreme Court’s orders over illegal construction. The original deadline for clearing the debris was November 28, 2022, which was extended by 45 days.
Work suspended
Residents of the neighbourhood had complained about the high level of noise pollution due to digging and debris removal at the demolition site, following which work at the site was suspended for over a month.
Udaybhan Singh Teotia, president of Emerald Court Resident Welfare Association, said the tests confirmed that the noise exceeded permitted levels. The Supertech Emerald Court housing complex is located adjacent to the twin towers demolition site in sector 93 B of Noida.
“They first resumed the work temporarily and then conducted the tests,” Teotia told Moneycontrol. “In the lobby area of the tower located adjacent to the site, the sound levels were 60-65 decibels, while at the site it was around 80 decibels.”
The permissible noise level for residential areas is 45 decibels at night and 55 units during the day. In commercial areas, it is 55 decibels at night and 65 decibels during the day, while for industrial areas, they are 70 units (night) and 75 units (day).
After the first deadline was extended, the Noida Authority had on January 11 granted another 45 days to Edifice Engineering to clear the debris from the site.
Earlier this month, at a meeting of stakeholders including officials of the Noida Authority, residents of Emerald Court, and Edifice Engineering, Noida Authority CEO Ritu Maheshwari said no fresh extension would be granted and the work had to be finished within the given time of 45 days.
Utkarsh Mehta of Edifice Engineering, which carried out the demolition, said it is waiting for directions from the Noida Authority.
The razing of the two towers left behind an estimated 80,000 tonnes of debris. About 50,000 tonnes of debris would be used to fill the pit where the towers stood while the remaining 30,000 tonnes were to be transported to a waste management plant in Sector 80 of Noida.
Almost six months later, about 65 percent of the construction and demolition waste has been cleared from the site.
In December 2022, a study conducted by the Central Building Research Institute showed that noise pollution in the area was higher than the permissible limits.
Meanwhile, the residents of Emerald Court said the authorities should fill the dug-up portion using the debris and construct the road connecting two towers – Aster 2 and Aster 3 – of the society so that there is a passage for emergency vehicles.
“The construction of the road is pending because the debris removal work is stalled,” said Inderjeet Kaur, a resident. “Noise pollution is very high in the area when the work of breaking iron bars and rafts is in progress. The way things are moving, it's almost certain that the residents of Aster 2 may also experience rain water flooding during the coming storm or rains. There seems to be no solutions on the cards and we are just waiting.”
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