Noida twin tower demolition: Meet Chetan Dutta, the blaster who will push button to bring down Supertech buildings

New Delhi: Chetan Dutta, a 49-year-old Indian blaster, will on Sunday (August 28, 2022) press the button to bring down the Supertech's twin towers in Noida. Dutta, who hails from Hisar in Haryana, expressed that "it's like a dream come true" for him to demolish the nearly 100-meter-tall structures. He was approached by Edifice Engineering, which has been tasked with demolishing the towers, to act as a blaster.

"When the Supreme Court's decision came, someone forwarded a message (about it) on WhatsApp and I prayed to God that I should be given an opportunity to demolish the building. I did not expect to be chosen though... Months later, in July, Edifice approached me and my firm for the loading of explosives," Dutta, who runs a firm that is involved in building demolition, was quoted as saying by the news agency PTI.

It is the first residential tower for which Dutta is acting as a blaster. 

"I have been in this line of business since 2002. I have conducted the demolition of thermal power plants, mines and other structures. But this is the first residential building for which I am acting as a blaster," he said.

Dutta said he is confident that the demolition will be carried out in a successful and safe manner. 

He stated that he will be stationed about 50-70 metres away from the building while pressing the button.

Twin tower demolition: 3,700 kg of explosives being used to implode Supertech buildings

Taller than Delhi's Qutub Minar, the Apex and Ceyane towers in Noida's Sector 93A are set to be demolished at 2.30 pm today.

More than 3,700 kg of explosives are being used to implode the twin towers. The major task is to ensure the safety of people living in the vicinity and that no nearby buildings suffer damage.

Over 5,000 residents of Emerald Court and ATS Village -- the two closest societies to the twin towers -- have been evacuated.

Noida, UP | Two housing societies, including 40 towers, next to #SupertechTwinTowers fully evacuated, ahead of demolition at 1430 hours today

560 police personnel, 100 people from reserve forces, 4 Quick Response Teams & NDRF team deployed in the area pic.twitter.com/su9qXHlu85 — ANI (@ANI) August 28, 2022

An exclusion zone will be created at a radius of up to 500 meters around the twin towers where no human or animal will be allowed, except for a team of Indian and foreign blasters engaged in the demolition of the nearly 100-meter-tall structures.

Demolition firm Edifice Engineering, experts of Central Building Research Institute and the Noida Authority officials have expressed confidence that the structures will be demolished safely and said they were satisfied with the arrangements made for controlling debris splinters.

Twin towers' demolition to be carried out through waterfall implosion technique

Mumbai-based Edifice Engineering has been tasked with safely pulling down the structures. The Edifice has roped in South African experts Jet Demolitions for the project. The whole exercise is being overseen by the local Noida Authority.

Only six people, including three foreign experts, Edifice Engineering's project manager Mayur Mehta, Indian blaster Chetan Dutta, and a police officer will remain within the exclusion zone to push the button for the blast.

Uttar Pradesh | Morning visuals of Supertech Twin Towers in Sector 93A, Noida which will be demolished later today at 2:30pm.

The towers, part of the Emerald Court, were found to be in violation of multiple regulations regarding construction. pic.twitter.com/G21vjciSI0 — ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) August 28, 2022

The demolition of the twin towers will be carried out through the waterfall implosion technique which would bring them down within a few seconds literally like a house of cards.

The eye-popping event would leave behind a whopping 55,000 tonnes of debris, even as some estimates put the figure at 80,000 tonnes. The debris would take an estimated three months to be cleared and disposed of.

Noida-Greater Noida Expressway to be closed during Supertech twin tower demolition

Diversions would be placed on roads leading to the twin towers in Noida Sector 93A from Sunday morning while the Noida-Greater Noida Expressway, barely 200 metres from the demolition site, would be closed for vehicular movement from 2 pm to 3 pm.

Google maps will have updated feeds for diversions and real-time traffic situations on Sunday, an official said, adding that arrangements have been made for the movement of emergency vehicles.

The city will also remain a no-fly zone for drones. 

The air space in one nautical mile radius above the blast will also remain briefly unavailable for flights during demolition time.

Noida twin towers' demolition: People asked to wear face masks 

Meanwhile, in an advisory issued to the public Saturday evening, the Noida Authority asked people, especially children, the elderly, and patients, living in nearby areas to wear face masks in the aftermath of the demolition as a precautionary measure.

The authority especially asked residents of nearby Parsvnath Prestige, Parsvnath Srishti societies, village Gejha, and others in Sectors 93, 93A, 93B, and 92 to wear face masks after 2.30 pm.

Around 400 police personnel have been deployed for law and order duty, and PAC and NDRF personnel would also be on the ground for any contingencies.

Why are Noida twin towers being demolished?

The Supreme Court on August 31 last year ordered the demolition of the Noida twin towers for violation of building norms in collusion with district officials, holding that illegal construction has to be dealt with strictly to ensure compliance with the rule of law.