Noida: Scientists of mining institute to scan twin towers’ blast design

NOIDA: Scientists from the Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research (CIMFR) in Dhanbad will evaluate the blast design prepared by the private company that is supposed to demolish the twin towers.
The scientists from Dhanbad will accompany the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) team that will visit the blast site in Sector 93A for an inspection from June 21-23.
During a meeting to review the preparations on June 7, the CBRI had urged the Noida Authority to hire an agency that could evaluate the blast design. Although the CBRI officials had pointed out that they did not have the expertise to analyse explosives and blast designs, the Noida Authority had expressed inability to add another agency at that point.
The CBRI officials were advised to involve other agencies at their own level. The CIMFR was then asked to help out with the evaluation.
The revised evaluation was necessitated because Edifice Engineering, the company that will carry out the demolition, made some changes to the design after a test blast in April. It added two floors in the final synchronised implosion plan and said it would need more explosives — around 3,500kg — to bring down the two towers. The explosives would need to be planted in around 9,000 holes that are being drilled into the columns of the Apex and Ceyane towers. Edifice is planning to carry out the demolition on August 21.
Uttkarsh Mehta, a partner at Edifice, said, “We are cooperating with the CBRI team. We will share all the details with the scientists and seek their opinion. Our team has assured that 3,500kg of explosives will be required for the final blast.”
As part of the inspection team, officials from the Noida Authority and Supertech, the developer, will also be present at the site. The team will finalise the height of the iron sheet barricading that will be erected to prevent the debris from spilling onto the compounds of nearby societies after the towers come crashing down.
Edifice officials said the pile of the debris would not be more than 10-15 metres from the ground as most of the concrete rubble would fall into the basement. For this, the company has started making impact cushions in the basement.