As D-Day for the demolition of the 100-metre tall illegal Supertech twin towers in Noida nears, residents of the nearby building are witnessing mixed feelings. While one of the residents is optimistic about the demolition, the other cannot wait to get back home and relish the evening tea on the balcony.
On August 28, the city of Noida in Uttar Pradesh will host a spectacle: More than 3,500 kgs of explosives filled in over 9,000 holes will bring down two high-rise towers. If all goes well, the 100-metre towers will fall like a pack of cards.
The controlled implosion will bring to an end a decade-long legal battle waged by residents who stay just metres away from the notorious structure.
The last-minute preparations to demolish the Supertech twin towers is underway.
“Kal sham chai apne ghar mein piyenge (Will have the evening tea tomorrow in our home),” an Emerald Court resident, Pankaj Ahuja, said. “We are confident that everything will be fine,” he added.
Meanwhile, Ravi Kapoor, whose house is in Aster 2, the building that is closest to the twin towers, is a worried man. He has put up six sheets on his house. He stays with his octogenarian parents. “Dust and damage are two of my biggest concerns,” he said.
However, the one who fought the case against Supertech from the beginning is a happy man now. On the eve of the demolition of the twin towers, Uday Bhan Singh Teotia, president of the Resident Welfare Association (RWA), Emerald Court, told India Today that he is glad his fight has culminated in the demolition of these illegal structures.
He said that at one point he and his family had given up hope. “When I began the fight, my family members used to warn me about going against a big builder. Now, the result is for everyone to see,” he said.
He further said that he will be among the last to leave the tower, i.e. tomorrow morning after he makes sure that every resident has evacuated the building and the electricity, water supply and the lift system are shut.
With just 24 hours left for the demolition of the twin towers, the strengthening of pillars is still taking place in nearby societies.