Noida: D-day nearing, nervousness and relief at Supertech Emerald Court

NOIDA: It’ll be the culmination of a battle that began exactly 10 years ago when the twin towers on the Emerald Court compound – Apex and Ceyane – are brought down, likely in May. On the Supertech Emerald Court compound is palpable relief about finally seeing towers that dwarfed the rest of the complex go. But there’s nervousness too about the demolition exercise, which is also being felt on the other side of the Emerald Court boundary wall at ATS Greens Village.

The twin towers, which the Supreme Court held illegal and ordered the demolition of on August 31 last year, will be brought down by Mumbai-based Edifice Engineering. The countdown to the demolitions began on Sunday with Edifice and
Supertech signing the contract, work order and agreement for the exercise. Nearly 2,200 people live in Emerald Court. While two towers — Aster 2 and 3 — of the housing complex are located barely nine metres from the twin towers and are
likely to be most affected by the vibrations, people living in other towers of the housing complex are located barely nine metres from the twin towers and are likely to be most affected by the vibrations, people living in other towers of Emerald Court have also been advised to leave the society for at least five to six hours when the demolitions happen, residents said.

At ATS Greens Village, where 700 of the total 736 flats are occupied, residents of at least four towers — 6, 6A, 7 and 8 —located about 40-50 metres from the twin towers, are closest to the demolition site. On Monday, the president of the
society’s RWA Bharat Bhusan said, “I have already written to the Noida Authority two to three times urging them to include residents of nearby housing societies in any decision related to the demolition of the twin towers. All the residents are
anxious and scared about the fallout of this demolition exercise. So far, the Authority has not responded to our queries or shared any plan of action.” Bhusan, who lives in tower 6, said he has also written to the Noida Authority CEO
seeking insurance cover for damages, if any, to their housing society during the exercise. “There will be vibrations when the debris falls on the ground. So, we need to prepare ourselves. How are we supposed to do it if the Authority does not
share any plans with us?” he asked. UBS Teotia (80), the president of the Emerald Court RWA, which initiated the legal battle against the twin towers in 2012, said their relentless pursuit of justice would finally bearing fruit. “For the last 12 years, we had a very bad experience and perhaps it will continue for another 6-8 months after the demolition exercise. Of course, residents are worried about how the entire exercise will be undertaken, whether it will be safe and what could be the after-effects. But we have been informed that Edifice Engineering, which will carry out the demolition exercise, has global exposure and experience,” he said.

The society’s RWA vice-president, 74-year-old SK Sharma, agreed that there were concerns. “People are apprehensive about their safety, but we have been assured that there will be no damage to the adjacent structures and human life,”
he said. Vinod Chandra Srivastav, the RWA secretary added, “The Aster 2 and 3 buildings (the ones closest to the twin towers) were not getting air and not getting sun. The residents had a very bad life for several years. We want that the agency that has been finalised should do it very carefully so that the safety of the people is not compromised and the safety of the other structures is taken care of so that people can live happily once this is over.”