SC gives one-week extension for demolition deadline of Supertech twin towers

New Delhi, Aug 12: The Supreme Court on Friday fixed August 28 for the demolition of Supertech twin towers after it accepted the Noida Authority's request for an extension. The apex court also gave an additional one week buffer till September 4 to take into account any marginal delay due to technical or weather conditions.

The apex court had earlier fixed August 21 as the date of demolition of the buildings, which have been held illegal for violation of norms.

A bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and A S Bopanna granted a ''bandwidth'' of one week from August 29 to September 4 to the agencies engaged in the demolishing exercise of the twin towers on grounds that there may be some marginal delay in razing the huge buildings due to technical and weather conditions.

The top court also asked agencies concerned, including the management of Supertech, to cooperate with the agencies engaged in the demolition exercise.

Earlier, on May 17, the top court had extended till August 28 the deadline for demolition of the twin towers on the advice of experts. The top court's order came on an application filed by Interim Resolution Professional (IRP) seeking an extension of the timeline of May 22, 2022 by three months till August 28 after the agency appointed for demolition, Edifice Engineering sought time on grounds of slight change in design after carrying out test blasts.

''In view of the expert opinion, time for completing the work of demolition is extended until August 28, 2022. A status report shall be filed by NOIDA after convening a meeting of all stakeholders on the steps which are being taken between the date of this order and a week prior to the next date of listing'', the top court had said.

On February 28, the NOIDA authority informed the top court that the work for the demolition has commenced and will be razed completely by May 22.

The authority had in its earlier status report said after the demolition of these massive structures, the entire debris will be cleared of the site by August 22.

On August 31 last year, the top court had ordered the demolition of the towers under construction within three months for violation of building norms in ''collusion" with NOIDA officials, holding that illegal construction has to be dealt with strictly to ensure compliance of the rule of law.

The NOIDA authority had received a rap on its knuckles as the top court pointed out multiple incidents of collusion of its officials with the Supertech Ltd in the Emerald Court project and violations of norms by the realty major in the construction of the twin towers.

The top court had directed that the entire amount of home buyers be refunded with 12 percent interest from the time of the booking and the RWA of Emerald Court project be paid Rs 2 crore for the harassment caused due to the construction of the twin towers, which would have blocked sunlight and fresh air to the existing residents of the housing project adjoining the national capital.

More than 3,500 kg of explosive will be filled in around 9,400 holes drilled in the columns and shears of the skeletal structures of the twin towers, according to officials.

Supertech's Apex and Ceyane towers in Noida Sector 93A are scheduled for demolition in pursuance of a Supreme Court order last August which noted that the structures had come up in violation of building norms.