Three months after the demolition of Supertech twin towers in Noida, around 60 percent of the construction and demolition (C&D) waste has been cleared from the site even as the last date to remove the debris was November 28, sources privy to the development said.
They said it will take another one-and-a-half months to completely clear the site of C&D waste.
“Over 60 percent of debris has been cleared from the site. Our work is in progress and it will take nearly one-and-a-half months more to completely remove the C&D waste. The delay was caused because the work was shut for good 20-25 days because of GRAP (Graded Response Action Plan) to control the spike in pollution in Delhi-NCR,” an official at Edifice Engineering, which carried out the demolition and is overseeing the debris removal process, said.
Sources in Noida Authority said that the extension of the date for the complete removal of the debris will have to be approved by the Supreme Court. The Authority will apprise the SC about the latest development and follow the directions.
Meanwhile, with air quality worsening again, the authorities have issued fresh restrictions on C&D activities in Delhi-NCR.
The Commission for Air Quality Management, the Centre's air quality panel, has directed authorities in Delhi-NCR to ban all non-essential construction work in the region under Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).
On August 28, the nearly 100-metre-high structures, which were taller than Qutub Minar (73 metres), were demolished within seconds, like a house of cards, by the waterfall implosion’ technique, following an SC order over illegal construction.
Mumbai-based Edifice had roped in South African expert Jet Demolitions for razing the structures and the entire exercise was monitored by the Noida Authority.
Residents’ concerns
Residents living near the demolition site said the noise and dust pollution along with vibrations in their towers caused by the C&D work is their prime concern.
They said the breaking down of the basement levels is yet to be done and it may take another 30-40 days to level the surface and completely settle the debris.
The razing of the two towers has left behind an estimated 80,000 tonnes of debris. Under the plan, around 50,000 tonnes of debris would be used for filling the pit where the towers stood while the remaining 30,000 tonnes is to be transported to Noida’s C&D waste management plant in Sector 80.
Inderjeet Kaur, a resident of the tower Aster-2 of the Emerald Court, said the debris removal work also involved the breaking of the basement floors and for that, the work executing agency is using heavy machines causing “high levels” of noise pollution.
“Noise pollution and vibrations in my flat are the main concerns for us. The noise pollution is such that it gave me a migraine for a few days. I had to undertake soundproofing measures in my home to lower the level of noise but it is still severe. It is constantly going on throughout the day and troubles the residents of this tower the most as it is the closest tower to the demolished structure,” Kaur told Moneycontrol.
She also feared the possible damage to the existing towers of the Emerald Court during the breaking of the basement columns.
“Now they are breaking the basement columns. The basement of Aster-2 and the demolished towers were connected so I fear that our tower building may get tilted or damaged during the process,” Kaur said.
None of the agencies concerned has taken any measure to control noise pollution and vibrations, she claimed.
Udaybhan Singh Teotia, President of ECO (Emerald Court) Resident Welfare Association, said that noise pollution and movement of vehicles to the basement were troubling the residents of the society.
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He said that nearly 60-65 percent of debris had been removed but the work is going at a slow pace.
“Noise pollution is a big issue here. Residents of towers located near the site are the most troubled ones. The entry and exit of three towers are affected because of the ongoing work. Dust pollution is also a cause of concern for us. The agency executing the work should expedite the process as it has now been delayed by one-and-a-half months,” Toetia said.
What urban planning experts and environmentalists say
Sewa Ram, professor at the School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), said the agency executing the work should use the latest technology such as the creation of noise and vibration absorption wall to control these factors.
He also said the work related to the breaking of the basement should be carried out meticulously in a way so that other closely located structures are not affected.
“Whenever you have a hard surface, the vibrations will travel. To control these vibrations, they should first break the peripheral portion and then approach the other ones. They should create a protection wall to absorb vibrations and noises in the area,” Ram said.
He advised that the work executing agency should take the help of professional institutions like the Central Building Research Institute for such complex tasks.
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Vikrant Tongad, a Noida-based environmentalist, said the removal of only 60 percent of debris shows that the work moved at a “tardy pace”.
“Dust and noise pollution are major issues in the locality. The concerned agencies should take note of this menace as it may create health hazards for residents of the area. The debris removal work was slow because of which the deadline has been missed. Seeing the current pace of work, it will take over two months to complete the task,” Tongad said.
The Apex (32 floors) and Ceyane (29 floors) towers in Emerald Court in Noida’s Sector 93A had become the highest buildings demolished in India, a little over a year after the country’s top court ordered them razed for illegal construction.
On August 31, 2021, the Supreme Court said the New Okhla Industrial Development Authority (NOIDA) and the builder colluded to build the towers illegally and without the consent of flat owners, as required by the Uttar Pradesh Apartment Act.