Noida twin tower demolition: 2-week ultimatum to Supertech

NEW DELHI: Approving Noida authority’s decision to select Mumbai-based firm Edifice Engineering to carry out the demolition of the two 40-storied towers in the Emerald Court housing project, the Supreme Court on Monday directed Supertech to execute the contract and get approval from all authorities concerned within two weeks.
As the real estate company told a bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and Surya Kant that an NoC would be required, including for using explosives for demolition, the court directed it to do the needful so that demolition could start immediately after two weeks.
Supertech also agreed to start refunding money to homebuyers without any further delay. It said that there are differences in calculation done by it and the amicus curiae regarding the amount to be refunded to homebuyers and it was ready to disburse the amount as calculated by him.
The bench, thereafter, allowed the company to refund the amount, but made it clear it would not prejudice the claim of homebuyers and final amount would be decided on Friday.
The apex court had on August 31 granted three months to the company to demolish the towers comprising around 1,000 flats, which were built in contravention of various rules and buildings regulations including safety and fire norms. The time period expired by November-end but the demolition work has not even begun. The demolition work was to be carried out by the company at its own cost under the supervision of Noida officials. The court had also directed Noida to consult its own experts and experts from Central Building Research Institute in Roorkee to carry out the demolition work.
Over 950 flats were to be built in the twin towers in which construction was done upto 32 floor when the Allahabad High Court first ordered their demolition in 2017. As many as 633 homebuyers had booked the flats in the twin towers, out of which 248 have taken refund and 133 shifted to Supertech’s other housing projects.