Agency to be hired for demolition of towers
NOIDA: In line with the directions issued by the Supreme Court, Noida authority will issue a tender to hire an agency to demolish the twin towers of Supertech’s Emerald Court in Sector 93, officials of the authority said on Wednesday.
According to the officials, the private agency may be hired within a month so that the demolition process starts by November.
The Noida authority has filed an FIR against 26 officials and four Supertech directors after a Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government to probe the irregularities found their alleged involvement in sanctioning the map and the building plans of the twin towers.
Of the 26 officials identified by the investigating team, two are dead, 20 have retired, and names of three officials have been proposed for suspension while one officer has already been suspended.
Now, the authority has started the process of hiring the agency, which will undertake the demolition process, in consultation with Roorkee-based
Central Building Research Institute (CBRI).
“We will talk to the realtor and the residents’ welfare association for their suggestions before issuing a tender to hire the agency. We have discussed the issue with CBRI,” said Neha Sharma, additional CEO of the Noida authority.
Meanwhile, the authority has ‘debarred’ two architect firms, which chalked out the map for the twin towers, following the submission of the SIT report which recommended necessary action against the companies. ‘Debarring’ the two firms means that they will no longer be able to work in Noida.
The authority has also taken over possession of 7,000 square metres of green belt that the realtor of the Emerald Court project encroached upon and made a part of the twin towers.
“We will fence this area and then develop it properly. Action has also been initiated against those officials, who did not act against the realtor who grabbed the green belt area adjoining the twin towers,” said an official from the Noida authority, who is not authorised to speak to media.
On August 31, a Supreme Court bench led by justice Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud directed the demolition of the twin towers in three months over grave violations of building norms, which, the court said, was a result of “nefarious complicity” between Noida authority and the real estate developer, and also called for the prosecution of officials, who had sanctioned the map and building plans of the twin towers.
“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,” said the order of the Supreme Court.
We will talk to the realtor and the residents’ welfare association before issuing a tender to hire the agency. NEHA SHARMA, additional CEO of Noida authority