3,500 kg explosives, 100 workers, waterfall method: How Noida’s Supertech twin towers will be demolished

The saga of Supertech’s twin 40-storey towers in Noida is set to come to an end with their demolition set for 28 August.

The Supreme Court, fixing the date, also stated that in case of delays due to technical or weather conditions, the buildings can be pulled down by 4 September.

The top court had on 31 August ordered the demolition of the towers under construction within three months for violation of building norms in “collusion with NOIDA officials, holding that illegal construction has to be dealt with strictly to ensure compliance of the rule of law.”

The NOIDA authority had received a rap on its knuckles as the top court pointed out multiple incidents of collusion of its officials with the Supertech Ltd in the Emerald Court project and violations of norms by the realty major in the construction of the twin towers.

Let’s take a closer look at how the towers will be demolished

Placing the charges

As per Daily O, 3,500 kilos of explosives will be placed in the towers – a process known as charging.

Each day, around 250 to 300 kilos of explosives are being brought from Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation authorised magazine in Haryana’s Palwal.

The explosives are a mix of dynamite, emulsions and plastic explosives, as per News18.

Around 9,400 holes will be drilled in the columns and shears of skeletal structures of the buildings and explosives stuffed inside.

As per Indian Express, around 100 workers are at the site, with the shift lasting from around 7 am to 6.30 pm.

How far along is the process?

As per News18, the SC-appointed technical expert last week gave approval for the rigging of Supertech’s twin towers with explosives.

The approval of the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) was the last approval needed for the charging — rigging of explosives inside the structures — of the twin towers located in Sector 93B.

The charging process will be completed by 26 August, says Edifice Engineering, the Mumbai-based company carrying out the demolition.

As per Hindustan Times, Edifice Engineering has completed the process of placing the explosives in the Ceyanne tower on Wednesday.

The focus will now shift to the taller tower Apex on the 24th and 22nd floors.

After the charging process is complete, shock tubes will be connected and checked.

“Apex tower is taller and will take more time. Additionally, as we go lower, heavier charging and more explosives are required. So, while the upper floors are planted with the explosives in quick time, charging of the lower floors will take more time, especially basement 1, ground and first floors,” said Mayur Mehta, project manager, Edifice Engineering, told the newspaper.

What precautions are being taken?

As per News18, around 1,400 residents will be evacuated before the demolition takes place. They will leave either a day before the demolition or just a few hours before the exercise begins.

Utkarsh Mehta, partner with Edifice Engineering, told India Today trenches are being dug at the perimeter to prevent any damage to the nearby building through the shockwave of the explosion.

Containers are also being placed between the twin towers and the nearby buildings for extra safety.

As per India Today, engineers have installed nets, clothing and perimeter curtains to protect nearby buildings from dust and debris.

“Any stray debris will be caught by the geo-textiles being installed between the buildings,” Utkarsh added.

The demolition

The waterfall implosion method will be used to bring down towers and the buildings will collapse inward, as per News18.

The blast of explosives will create a sharp burst of outward pressure and spread across the structure like a shockwave, shattering the concrete, resulting in the collapse of the building.

“The building will collapse like water,” one engineer told India Today.

The 40-storey twin towers are the tallest buildings ever to be demolished using controlled explosions.

Earlier, the company had demolished 18 storied buildings using the same method.

The towers will be demolished in around nine seconds but the debris may take about 90 months to be removed, as per the report.

The apex court had earlier fixed 21 August as the date of demolition of the buildings, which have been held as illegal for violation of norms.

A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and AS Bopanna granted a “bandwidth” of one week from 29 August to 4 September to the agencies engaged in the demolition exercise of the twin towers on grounds that there may be some marginal delay in razing the huge buildings due to technical and weather conditions.

The top court also asked agencies concerned, including the management of Supertech, to cooperate with the agencies engaged in the demolition exercise.

Earlier, on 17 May, the top court had extended the deadline for demolition of the twin towers till 28 August, on the advice of experts.

The top court’s order came on an application filed by Interim Resolution Professional (IRP) seeking an extension of the timeline of 22 May, 2022, by three months till August 28 after the agency appointed for demolition, Edifice Engineering sought time on grounds of slight change in design after carrying out test blasts.

“In view of the expert opinion, time for completing the work of demolition is extended until August 28, 2022. A status report shall be filed by the New Okhla Industrial Development Authority (NOIDA) after convening a meeting of all stakeholders on the steps which are being taken between the date of this order and a week prior to the next date of listing,” the top court had said.

On 28 February, the NOIDA authority informed the top court that the work for the demolition has commenced and will be razed completely by 22 May.

The authority had in its earlier status report said after the demolition of these massive structures, the entire debris will be cleared of the site by 22 August.

The top court had directed that the entire amount of home buyers be refunded with 12 per cent interest from the time of the booking and the RWA of Emerald Court project be paid Rs 2 crore for the harassment caused due to the construction of the twin towers, which would have blocked sunlight and fresh air to the existing residents of the housing project adjoining the national capital.

With inputs from agencies

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