Noida turned up in droves to witness Supertech demolition spectacle

The demolition of the Supertech towers in Noida became a most unlikely Sunday afternoon outing for residents of the city. The event lived up to the viewers’ billing, as explosions tore through the buildings, bringing them crashing down like a stack of Jenga blocks with a loose piece at the bottom

“My tweets aren’t getting uploaded, my phone has no network here.”

People gather to watch the demolition of the Supertech twin towers in Noida on Sunday. (Raj K Raj/HT Photo)

“Did you hit ‘record’ in time?”

“This man’s head has ruined my Reel.”

The demolition of the Supertech towers in Noida became a most unlikely Sunday afternoon outing for residents of the city. The event lived up to the viewers’ billing, as explosions tore through the buildings, bringing them crashing down like a stack of Jenga blocks with a loose piece at the bottom.

But a few among the hundreds who lined the streets, lanes and parks around Noida’s Sector 93A said they were left disappointed.

“That’s it?” asked an onlooker who had managed to nose his way into a flyover in front of the tower.

“It really didn’t sound as loud as we expected,” said another person on the flyover.

For the audience, the Sunday afternoon demolition was a spectacle first, no matter if it brought the curtain down on a years-long battle against Supertech, who the Supreme Court said built the two towers in flagrant violation of building bylaws and in collusion with Noida authority officials.

But the details didn’t matter for most of the people who were out to watch the highly anticipated demolition. Nor did the sultry heat on a humid afternoon when the temperature touched 35 degrees Celsius and the sun pierced through, with little resistance.

Armed with cameras and tripods, donning sunglasses and sunhats, and tiptoed on walls, park benches and even water tankers, everyone there was out to catch a glimpse (and a video) of an event for the ages.

“I’m not sure why these buildings are being brought down, honestly. I read that they [the realtors] built more floors than they had permission for,” said Kevalya (who goes by a single name), who lives near Sector 102 nearby.

“I’m just here to watch the blast,” he said.

The towers were brought down, by Edifice Engineering and their South African partner Jet Demolitions, with remarkable precision, little fuss and barely any collateral damage even to the structures closest to it. From the flyover (which was cut off for traffic, but reserved for emergency services, police, administration and media personnel) barely 500m away, the explosions sounded only like a series of firecrackers.

A 50-metre radius around the buildings was evacuated by 7am on Sunday, while a road right in front of Supertech’s Emerald Court society, a service lane adjacent and the Vishwakarma Flyover were shut for all traffic by 1pm to prevent untoward movement during the sensitive time. The Noida-Greater Noida Expressway, alongside which the two buildings were built, was shut between 2.15pm and 2.30pm.

But the curbs were no bar for those who wanted a glimpse of the act.

A park in Noida’s Sector 108 (right in front of Emerald Court) became the onlookers’ hunting ground, as snacks merchants, ice-cream vendors and tea sellers made hay off Apex and Ceyanne’s misfortune.

The mats, sheets and binoculars were out, as late-comers jostled for space, often stepping over other groups.

With a neighbourhood packed like a can of sardines by 2.20pm, a casual viewer, in search of a decent vantage point, would wander into a television reporter’s frame, much to their dismay.

“How does it matter? These two huge behemoths will come crashing down, so the view will be great from anywhere,” said one Vishesh, who was one of the few people content to watch from the sidelines, under the comfortable confines of a tree.

Around 20 minutes after the explosion, a lone smog gun at the end of the road leading till the Vishwakarma flyover sprayed water onto the street, as a loudspeaker overhead spread news about the Noida authority’s efforts to curb dust pollution in the wake of the demolition.

And as the dust settled around Supertech’s Emerald Court, a two-storey pile of rubble occupied the space ceded by Apex and Ceyanne. They leave in their wake, for residents of neighbouring ATS Greens Village, a clear, unhindered view of the west, which was blocked by the Noida twin towers.