CBRI, CIMFR teams in Noida, to inspect site of twin towers

Noida: The Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) has roped in the Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research (CIMFR), Dhanbad, to oversee the demolition of the Supertech twin towers in Sector 93-A, which is scheduled for August 21

Noida: The Central Building Research Institute (CBRI) has roped in the Central Institute of Mining and Fuel Research (CIMFR), Dhanbad, to oversee the demolition of the Supertech twin towers in Sector 93-A, which is scheduled for August 21.

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CBRI and CIMFR teams will conduct a joint inspection of the site from Tuesday to Thursday to assess the scope of work and do what is necessary to ensure a safe demolition. The teams will be accompanied by officials of the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board, the Noida authority, Supertech, and Edifice Engineering (the firm which has been tasked with carrying out the demolition).

“We are cooperating with the CBRI team and will share all details with them and seek their opinion. Our teams have calculated that 3.5 tonnes of explosives will be required for the final blast and the designs are being prepared now,” said Uttkarsh Mehta, partner, Edifice Engineering.

The CBRI and CIMFR teams will also finalise the height of the post-demolition barricading which will safeguard the neighbouring buildings from debris, which will take nearly three months to clear. Edifice officials said that the height of debris above the ground would not be more than 10-15 metres, as most of it would fall in the basement. For this, the company has started making trenches and impact cushions in the basement.

The CBRI was engaged by the Noida Authority to monitor the demolition following instructions from the Supreme Court. According to sources, the authority, at its last meeting held on June 7, asked to engage another agency with expertise on explosives and demolitions . It also asked the CBRI to involve other agencies at their own level with relevant domain expertise related to explosives and blast design-related issues.

Since a demolition of this scale has not been undertaken in the country before, there are hardly any agencies that can claim expertise over the matter. CIMFR deals with explosions which are primarily underground in nature, like those in mines. While explosions under the ground and above the ground are different in nature, officials are hoping that the team may have some understanding of the blast designs.