Supertech Twin Towers Demolition: How are Skycrapers Razed?

The 32-storeyed towers at Noida's Emerald Court will be the country's tallest buildings to be razed.

Image of Supertech's twin 40-storey towers of their Emerald Court residential project in Noida used for representation purpose.

(Photo: IANS)

The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday, 31 August, upholding a judgment of the Allahabad High Court, ordered the demolition of Supertech's illegally constructed twin towers in Noida.

The process is to be finished within three months, as per the court's ruling, and will be conducted at the real estate company's own cost, with the assistance of NOIDA authority and Central Building Research Institute (CBRI).

The 32-storeyed towers, located in Noida's Emerald Court, will be the country's tallest buildings to be razed.

The flattening of the skyscrapers presents a steep challenge.

What are the methods used for the demolition of tall buildings? What are the challenges that lie in the way of the dismantling of the Supertech Twin Towers? Here's all you need to know.

What are the Various Methods of Demolition?

1. Implosion

The most common method for the demolition of buildings located in densely-populated urban regions, implosion entails the setting up of explosives at multiple points in the building. The carefully orchestrated blasts destroy the primary vertical supports of the building, causing it to collapse on itself.

2. Wrecking Ball

One of the oldest methods of razing structures, this process of demolition involves the repeated swinging of a heavy ball and crashing it into the building to be dismantled. The operation entails a lot of vibration, noise, and dust.

3. High Reach Arm

Usually employed for buildings with a height greater than 66 feet, this method involves the use of a long demolition arm fitted onto a base machine. The arm, which carries a destruction tool, breaks down the building from top down. Large pieces of the construction are taken down by the arm, and are subsequently broken into smaller pieces at the base of the premises for ease of disposal.

Challenges in Case of the Demolition of Supertech's Twin Towers

Since the erection of skyscrapers is a fairly recent concept in India, there exists a lack of technical specialisation in the domain, experts told The Times of India.

President of Indian Institute of Architects Divya Kush, in an interview with the newspaper, indicated that the NOIDA authority require the inputs of foreign consultants for the process.

Moreover, the twin towers are located in close proximity of a number of other buildings within Emerald Court, allowing little room for the demolition operations.

The most recent example of large-scale demolition in India was that of the four skyscrapers of Alpha Serene in Kerala's Maradu, which were dismantled in January 2020.

Anand Sharma, director of Rajasthan-based Exiqude Pvt Ltd, which had led the Kerala buildings' demolition, told The Times of India that the preparation for the implosion process takes the most time and that the detonation of explosives much be carefully orchestrated in a planned sequence to ensure safety of the surrounding structures.

(With inputs from Times of India)