A nine-year legal battle unfolded in nine seconds. At exactly 2:30 a.m., the explosion of Noida’s Twin Towers, a momentary flash of light and an ear-splitting sound, only nine seconds left Noida’s twin high-rise ‘Supertech Twin Towers’ on the outskirts of Delhi, Cyenae collapsed first, followed by Apex. The dust storm covered the surrounding areas – highways, service roads, plants, and parks.
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In 2000, construction company Supertech took up a project named ‘Emerald Court’ in Sector 93, Noida. There was talk of building 14 nine-storey residences. What is today ground zero, was said to be a park. In 2012, Supertech began construction of two 100-meter-high towers over the Qutub Minar at the site of the proposed park. One of which is Apex, 100 meters high, 32 floors. The other is named Cyenae, height 97 meters, 29 floors. A total of about 850 flats in two highrises situated in Sector 93A, Noida, near Greater Noida Expressway.
In this way, the residents of Emerald Court filed a case against Supertech in the Allahabad High Court for changing the design of the project as well as ignoring various construction rules. The High Court ordered the demolition of the two towers in 2014. Even though the case went to the Supreme Court, Supertech continued the construction of the tower and the sale of flats there. The Supreme Court also ordered the demolition of the twin towers after seven years of litigation.
Haryana’s Edifice was given the task of demolishing the twin towers. 3700 kg of explosives are used. Detonator, explosive like dynamite. Explosives are planted by drilling 7,000 holes in the pillars and using 20,000 circuits. The eruption is scheduled for Sunday, August 28, at 2.30 pm. At 2.29 a.m. the siren went off, followed by an explosion, like a house of cards collapsing in twin towers. Nearby residents were evacuated to safe places.
The intensity of the blast caused cracks in the boundary wall of a nearby residence called ‘ATS Village’, but there was no damage.
A plume of ash-coloured smoke billowed from the wreckage. Within half an hour of the explosion, ground zero began to be sprayed with water. Water was poured to cool the blast site and reduce dust. The administration gave permission to go to ground zero long after the explosion.
It is estimated that it will take another three months to completely remove the debris.