Why Were Noida’s Twin Towers Demolished?

NEW DELHI

The Supertech twin towers in Noida, which were taller than the Qutub Minar, were razed to the ground at 2:30 pm today, nine years after residents went to court alleging violation of norms. 3,700 kg of explosives were used to destroy them.

Here’s a five-point explainer of why the twin towers are being demolished:

1. The demolition was ordered by the Supreme Court after the court found their construction on the Emerald Court society premises in violation of norms. The buildings will be demolished by the company at its own expense under the guidance of the Noida Authority.
2. When the ‘Supertech Emerald Court’ housing society was originally sanctioned, the building plan showed 14 towers and nine floors. Later, the plan was revised and the builder was allowed to construct 40 floors in each tower. The area where the towers were built was to be made into a garden as per the original plan.
3. Following this, residents of Supertech Emerald Court society went to the Allahabad High Court in 2012 stating that the construction was illegal. The petitioners argued that the Supertech group violated norms to sell more flats and enhance their profit margins. Accordingly, in 2014, the court directed the authority to demolish the towers within four months (at its own expense) from the date the order was filed.
4. The case then went to the Supreme Court. Last August, the court gave three months to demolish the towers, but it’s taken a year due to technical difficulties. The Supreme Court observed that building norms were violated by the builder in collusion with Noida authorities.
5. A number of petitions were submitted to the Supreme Court by homebuyers in support of and opposition to the Allahabad High Court’s ruling.