Status: 08/28/2022 2:40 p.m
In a few seconds they fell together: In India, two illegally built high-rise buildings near New Delhi were blown up. The demolition had been ordered by a court because the contractor had violated regulations.
Within about nine seconds, the twin towers in Noida – a suburb of the Indian capital New Delhi – collapsed to cheers from onlookers. Indian authorities had the two 100 meter high skyscrapers blown up. After the blast, a huge cloud of dust rose over New Delhi.
The Supreme Court ordered the destruction a year ago because the private builder had violated building regulations for the residential buildings. At the time, the court also ordered action to be taken against officials who had accepted the building plans. The buyers of the apartments should also be compensated.
High-rise buildings were uninhabited
“The two new towers have blocked everything – our air and our sunlight,” resident Uday Bhan Singh Teotia told AFP. His lawsuit against Supertech, one of the private developers, had brought about the demolition order. A total of almost 1000 apartments were housed in the 32 and 29-storey buildings. However, they were never inhabited due to years of legal disputes. The dispute over the buildings went as far as India’s Supreme Court. Indian media also referred to the two skyscrapers as “Twin Towers”.
The two twin towers near New Delhi shortly before they were blown up. Adjacent buildings were covered with a special fabric intended to protect them from dust.
Image: REUTERS
Thousands of people had to leave their homes
Experts from several countries were involved in the blasting operation. The controlled demolition with 3,700 kilograms of explosives was India’s largest of its kind to date, local media reported. The spectacle was broadcast live on television.
Several thousand residents of surrounding buildings were asked to leave their homes. Among other things, you should also hang up paintings and leave windows closed. Surrounding buildings were covered in advance with a special fabric to protect them from dust.
Dogs and cows roaming freely were also taken away before the explosion, local media reported. During the blast, there was a temporary ban on flying in the area and traffic was also restricted.
construction boom and corruption
India is the fastest growing economy in the world. The South Asian country has experienced a construction boom over the past 20 years, which has also led to a network of corruption between politicians, officials and building contractors.
Residential demolition is a rarity in India. Builders often leave the projects half-finished if they have broken the law. In Noida and Greater Noida, it is estimated that more than 100 high-rise buildings have been abandoned by developers, making some of the suburbs look like ghost towns.