Gulmohar Greens demolition: Diamond cutting technique may be used at Ghaziabad towers

Gulmohar Greens demolition in Ghaziabad differs from cases in Noida, Gurugram and Maradu, as it may require diamond cutting to remove specific floors

The Allahabad High Court has ordered the demolition of two towers and two floors each of four other towers at Ghaziabad’s Gulmohar Greens residential society. It has also directed the registration of an FIR against the project’s promoter over alleged fraud and violations of the Uttar Pradesh Apartment Act, 2010.Demolition experts say the case presents a unique technical challenge as it could involve bringing down entire towers as well as dismantling the upper floors of other buildings while retaining the rest of the structures. Removing specific floors is particularly challenging, as it may require diamond cutting, an expensive and time-consuming method that minimises vibrations and helps prevent structural damage to the floors below, ensuring they remain safe for occupation.In its October 27 order, the court directed the Ghaziabad Development Authority (GDA) to demolish towers 27 and 28, each comprising five floors with eight units on every floor, and the ninth and 10th floors of towers 16, 17, 18 and 19 within two months, the Hindustan Times newspaper reported.The constructions were undertaken by Friends Land Developers Pvt Ltd, a partnership firm of SVP Builders India Ltd. Describing the case as one in which apartment owners had been harassed by the promoter, allegedly in connivance with the development authority, the court imposed costs of ₹25 lakh on the promoter. It directed him to deposit the amount with the Gulmohar Greens Residents Welfare Association within a month, the report said.In a statement, SVP Builders India Ltd said it was examining the judgment and its legal implications, and would take necessary steps through due legal process. A representative of the builder told the newspaper that the two towers and the floors were currently vacant.

What demolition methods can be used at Gulmohar Greens?

The Allahabad High Court has ordered the demolition of two towers and two floors each of four other towers at Ghaziabad’s Gulmohar Greens residential society. (Photo for representational purposes only) (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Jigar Chheda, partner at Edifice Engineering, which was involved in the Supertech Twin Towers demolition in Noida, said diamond cutting could be an option for demolishing the floors at Gulmohar Greens because the exercise involves removing specific floors while retaining the rest of the structure. The technique involves cutting concrete into sections and removing them with minimal vibration compared with impact-based demolition methods. This can help reduce the risk of vibrations being transmitted to the floors below.

“Diamond cutting is a very time-consuming and expensive method. In this case, the actual demolition could take about 45 days, but an additional month may be needed for preparation. The feasibility would depend on whether cranes can access the site, the arrangements for lifting and removing debris, and the temporary supports required. The floors immediately below the sections being demolished may also need to be evacuated,” Chheda said.

For entire buildings, implosion may be a faster option, depending on the proximity of neighbouring structures and whether the necessary permissions can be obtained. Chheda said two buildings could potentially be demolished within three months using this method, including preparatory work.

“Demolishing just two floors using diamond cutting could cost almost 40% more than demolishing the entire structure,” he said.

Specialised high-reach machines, such as those being used to demolish the remaining towers at Chintels Paradiso in Gurugram, are another option when entire towers need to be removed. These machines can be used for buildings below 50 metres in height and may offer a faster, safer and more economical solution, subject to site conditions, Chheda explained.

The timeline would also depend on the prevailing Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) restrictions in Delhi-NCR, which can suspend demolition activities during periods of severe air pollution.

Chheda said Edifice Engineering had also been involved in demolishing a tilted building in Bengaluru using implosion. In Mumbai, the company removed some upper floors from a high-rise building because the required permissions for its height had not been granted owing to aviation restrictions.

What are the technical challenges of removing specific floors?

Anil Joseph, managing director of GeoStructurals Pvt Ltd, involved in the Maradu demolitions in Kochi, told Hindustan Times that diamond cutting could be used to remove individual floors, although the process could take two to three months and be expensive.

Joseph cited the Maradu demolitions in Kochi, where the government opted for implosion to bring down the buildings. “Most buildings are frame structures, in which the load is transferred from the slabs to the beams, then to the columns and finally to the foundation. If the slabs can be cut and separated in a way that prevents vibrations from transferring to the floors below, sections of the building can be dismantled. However, this process generates noise and disturbance for residents living on the lower floors, whose safety must also be considered,” Joseph said.

For an entire building, implosion may be an option depending on how close it is to other buildings within the residential complex. The method involves strategically placing explosives to weaken structural supports, allowing the building to collapse in a controlled manner under gravity.

“The building would have to be evacuated before demolition. The process would take place on a designated day, as was the case with the Supertech Twin Towers in Noida. The Ghaziabad building in question is relatively smaller,” Joseph said.