Noida seeks help to demolish twin towers
NOIDA: The Noida authority on Wednesday wrote to the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) in Roorkee seeking help to demolish Supertech’s 40-storey twin towers in Emerald Court Sector 20A that is in violation of several building laws.
On September 2, the Supreme Court ordered the demolition within three months and told the builder to pay for it. It also directed the Noida authority to supervise the demolition in a manner that it did not affect the buildings located nearby.
Noida authority chief executive officer (CEO) Ritu Maheshwari confirmed the development. “CBRI is an expert agency in demolition and construction matters,” said Maheshwari.
The letter, officials said, sought to understand the fallout of a demolition exercise and the methods to be used.
Supertech said that while it is exploring legal options to review the two judge bench judgment, it will also take steps to honour the court’s verdict. “We are complying with it (the court order). We are also exploring legal options to seek relief...we have written to the CBRI, as per the court’s directive, to consult with them on the matter and will be explaining the structure of the building to them. We want to understand from CBRI as to how to go forward with the demolition if it comes to that,” said RK Arora, chairman of Supertech Group.
The matter of violations was first taken to the Allahabad high court in 2012 by the Emerald Court residents’ welfare association (RWA). In 2014, the high court ordered the two towers -Apex and Ceyane -- be razed, observing that they stood too close to each other. The Noida authority appealed the verdict claiming that no norm was violated.
In its order, the Supreme Court said, “The record of this case is replete with instances which highlight the collusion between the officers of Noida with the appellant and its management. The case has revealed a nefarious complicity of the planning authority in the violation by the developer of the provisions of law.”
Following the court order directing the prosecution of Noida officials involved in approving the building plans, the state government formed a special investigation team (SIT) to investigate the matter. On Monday, the SIT headed by IAS officer Sanjiv Mittal, arrived in Noida and talked to several officials seeking details of the mater.
On Wednesday, Gautam Budh Nagar police commissioner Alok Singh met with the team at the Sector 6 based administrative office of Noida authority. Singh said it was a courtesy meeting and did not speak about a possible FIR being filed in the matter. Mittal refused comment.