Noida: After twin towers' fall, cracks in columns & walls of some flats in nearby buildings

NOIDA: A survey has found a few hairline fissures on columns of Emerald Court and residents of four flats in ATS Greens Village have reported cracks on some walls and pillars after the demolition of the Supertech twin towers last Sunday.

Residents of both societies, located on either side of the erstwhile towers, had been evacuated before the demolition, for which 3,700kg of explosives had to be used. They said that they noticed the cracks after returning to their homes on Monday and Tuesday.
Though a quick inspection after the demolition did not throw up any red flags, demolition company Edifice Engineering has brought in a Kerala-based firm to carry out a thorough analysis of Emerald Court and ATS Greens Village. The survey began on Wednesday.
Additionally, a Delhi-based engineering company hired by the Emerald Court RWA has found hairline cracks in 10-12 columns of the basements in the society. The same firm, before the demolition, had recommended the retrofitting of basement columns in the complex. It has now recommended some tests to gauge the damage.
"These columns are different from those that were found to be weak in our earlier audit. We have recommended rebound hammer and core cutting tests to analyse the ones spotted now. The report will take two weeks," said Revati Raman Singh, structural engineer and director of the Delhi-based D&R Consultant.
At ATS Greens Village, residents of four flats pointed to some cracks in walls and pillars of their houses in towers 5, 6A, 7 and 20. Of these, 6A was closest to the twin towers and was considered among the buildings most vulnerable to damage from the demolition.
The society's RWA said Edifice had been informed about the development.
"Residents of around 30 flats of our society said their windows or panes were broken from the blast impact. And families in four flats have reported superficial cracks. A team of Edifice officials had come today for further investigation. Three towers where the cracks were seen are not too close to the twin towers, so they need to be checked thoroughly. For instance, Tower 20 is around 150 metres from the demolition site," said Atul Chaturvedi, president of the Greens Village RWA.
Chandrasekhar, who lives in a 9th-floor flat in tower 5, confirmed the development. He said he had found some cracks in his flat and had informed the RWA immediately.
Another homeowner of a penthouse flat in tower 20 said the tenants had seen some cracks on the walls and pillars apart from some damage on their 9th-floor terrace and broken windows.
Poonam Mutreja, who lives on the ground floor of tower 6A at Greens Village, said she had spotted some ruptures on the pillars after the demolition.
Edifice project manager Mayur Mehta said there were some broken windows and superficial cracks on plasters. "All of this is on expected lines and the residents had been informed earlier. A structural analysis of the buildings in the two societies by the Kerala-based company, Geo Structurals, is also underway. Edifice will repair all these damages, besides the ATS boundary wall that was damaged during the twin towers' implosion," he said.
Noida Authority CEO Ritu Maheshwari on Wednesday said she hadn't received any information about the damage. "No such feedback from the Central Building Research Institute or the RWAs has been received," she told TOI.
Separately, an Authority official said the builder of the twin towers, Supertech, has to ensure a structural audit of Emerald Court and ATS Greens Village is carried out, and submit its report to the CBRI.
CBRI was appointed by the Supreme Court, which had ordered the demolition in a landmark ruling last year, to oversee the entire exercise.
Edifice had also taken an insurance cover of Rs 100 crore to cover damage to buildings surrounding the twin towers.