The implosion was designed by explosives expert Joe Brinkmann. The 100-metre-tall twin towers fell within seconds after the implosion was triggered.
The demolition took place three days short of a year since the Supreme Court declared the twin towers illegal for violation of building laws and ordered them razed on August 31, 2021, and 10 years after the final revision of the layout plan by the Noida Authority paved the way for their current shape.
Here are the latest developments:
Gone in seconds
At 2.30pm, the skyscrapers – taller than Delhi’s iconic Qutub Minar (73 metres) – were brought to the ground in seconds literally like a house of cards by the ‘waterfall implosion’ technique, in a breathtaking spectacle of modern day engineering.
Minutes after the demolition, the nearby buildings appeared to be safe.
Plumes of dust permeated the neighbourhood as the massive towers turned to dust. This was India’s largest tower demolition till date.
Over 3,700 kg of explosives were used in the implosion that brought down the building.
The demolition of the structures leaves behind an estimated 35,000 cubic metres or 55,000 tonnes to 80,000 tonnes of debris which chiefly includes concrete rubble, steel and iron bars and would take another three months to be properly disposed of.
‘Demolition went as planned’
Edifice Engineering, the Mumbai-based firm which planned the demolition, said the activity went as planned and there was no damage to residential towers in adjoining Emerald Court.
However, Edifice Engineering said there was some damage to the nearby ATS village wall.
Project Manager Mayur Mehta said, “God is great. Everything went all right. Nothing happened to Aster 2 but there has been some damage to the wall of ATS Village.
A team of Edifice, South Africa’s Jet Demolitions, CBRI and Noida officials conducted the structural analysis of adjacent buildings in the Emerald Court and the ATS Village societies after the demolition.
Water sprinklers and anti-smog guns have been activated at the site to mitigate dust, an official said.
Twin towers constructed as per approved building plan: Supertech
Just hours before the demolition, realty firm Supertech said the twin towers were constructed as per the building plan approved by Noida development authorities and no deviations were made.
“The Twin Towers Apex and Ceyane in Noida are a part of the Emerald Court project at Sector 93A constructed on land allotted by Noida authority. The building plans of the Project including the two towers were approved by the Noida Authority in 2009 which was strictly in accordance with the then prevailing Building Bye laws announced by the State Government,” Supertech Ltd said in a statement.
No deviation from the building plan was made and it was constructed after making full payment to the authority, it added.
40 stray dogs shifted before demolition
At least 40 stray dogs living in and around the Supertech twin towers in Uttar Pradesh’s Noida were shifted temporarily to shelters run by NGOs ahead of the court-mandated implosion of the buildings on Sunday.
An NGO has also requested authorities to conduct a dummy explosion or a false firing just before the twin towers are razed in order to save the birds in the area.
Several NGOs, including House of Stray Animals, Friendicoes, Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and Happy Tails foundation have pitched in to accommodate the stray dogs temporarily.
Residents evacuated safely
Before the towers were demolished, around 5,000 residents of the Emerald Court and ATS Village societies vacated their homes for the day. They will be allowed to return after the inspection team grants clearance.
In anticipation of the blast, excitement filled the area around Supertech twin towers in Noida as the countdown began earlier today.
Heavy police deployment was also seen in the area where authorities had stationed water tankers and anti-smog guns.
The roads in and around the twin towers were heavily barricaded with authorities not allowing any vehicles there. The Noida-Greater Noida Expressway was shut between 2:15 pm to 2:45 pm.
‘People with respiratory issues should avoid area for few days’
As the nearly 100-metre-tall Supertech twin towers were razed to the ground, doctors said people living nearby, especially those suffering from respiratory diseases, should take extra care and avoid the area for a few days if possible.
The demolition generated an estimated 80,000 tonnes of construction and demolition waste and sent huge clouds of dust billowing in the air.
The doctors said most dust particles are 5 microns or less and can remain suspended in the air for a few days in the absence of favourable meteorological conditions like strong winds and rain.
Massive dust pollution can lead to itching in the eyes, nose and skin; coughing, sneezing, breathing difficulty, lung infection, nasal congestion, asthmatic attacks and aggravate heart problems, they said.
(With inputs from agencies)Watch Supertech twin towers demolition: Noida’s illegal towers brought down