Vibration and pollution readings during test blasts have been taken and will be analyzed in 10-15 days and other details will be available only after detailed analysis.
Test blasts were carried out at the site on Sunday to determine how much explosives would be needed to bring down the nearly 100-metre-tall structure, officials said, before the Supertech twin towers were toppled next month.
The Supreme Court had on August 31 last year ordered the demolition of the twin towers inside the premises of Supertech Emerald Court Housing Society in Sector 93A and in the area earmarked for green cover.
Demolition of the Apex and Cayenne towers is scheduled for May 22, but after Sunday’s test blasts, experts at work said the structures were “too solid” and that they were using “more explosives” than before to bring them down. may fall. buildings down.
An expert told PTI that it was earlier estimated that 2,500 to 4,000 kg of explosives would be needed to bring down the twin towers, but “the quantity is likely to increase” and they have to “more time will be required.
The test blasts were carried out in Uttarakhand’s Roorkee in the presence of representatives of the Central Building Research Institute (CBRI), Noida Authority, Supertech, Edifice Engineering and Jet Demolition.
A siren lasting a few seconds is followed by two to three sirens at 2.15 pm, followed by two to three sirens at 2.30 pm, moments before the blasts (a series of six blasts separated by micro-seconds), which last for two seconds. Lasted less time.
Officials said representatives of Edifice Engineering and Jet Demolition indicated that the last short siren sounded at 2.45 pm.
Mumbai-based Edifice Engineering and South Africa-based Jet Demolition are the private agencies tasked with the demolition.
Test explosions were carried out at the Apex Tower with less than four kilograms of explosive. Officials said the explosives were kept in five columns in the basement of the building and one on the 13th floor.
“The purpose of the test blasts was to determine the total quantity of explosive required for complete demolition and the procedure to be followed to control the flying dust resulting from the demolition,” the Noida authority said in a statement.
Joe Brinkman, managing director of Jet Demolition, told reporters that different amounts of explosives were used at different places and different levels of security were used.
“The whole aim was to get accurate and specific information so that we could fine-tune our blasting design. Everything went well. We got great results. We’re very happy with what we see,” he said.
“We will now study the results over the next few days, then work on our designs so that we can finalize our designs in the next 10-15 days,” Brinkman said.
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He said that it was a tough and challenging task but they have right crew, right action plan and they will meet the challenge.
Ishtiaq Ahmed, General Manager (Planning), Noida Authority said, “We have taken the environmental management plan from Edifice Engineering and all the safety measures suggested in the plan will be taken. We are taking PM 2.5 and PM 10 measurements regularly and we are working on it. Will take care of environmental management.”
Ahmed said the readings of vibrations and pollution during the test blasts have been taken and it will be analyzed in 10-15 days and other details will be available only after a detailed analysis.
Utkarsh Mehta, partner, Edifice Engineering, said a team from IIT Chennai was also present during the test explosions to monitor and analyze the vibrations caused by them. He said a team of geo-structural experts from Cochin has also been hired by Edifice Engineering along with the IIT Chennai group to oversee.
“The vibrations were monitored at six points – four near the GAIL gas pipeline and one each at Emerald Court Society and ATS Green Village Society. Their results are not instant and takes some time,” Mehta told reporters.
Meanwhile, residents of Supertech Emerald Court Society expressed satisfaction after the test blast.
“I was down, but my family, including wife, parents and two minor children, were inside the house when the tests exploded. The test was successful and the result of May 22 will be as good as expected. I am more confident now The test blasts,” Gaurav Raghav, who lives in one of the Emerald Court buildings, very close to the Apex Tower, said.
Residents said they followed all precautionary measures as advised by demolition agencies such as switching off air conditioners and not hanging on balconies at the time of the test blast.
UBS Tewatia (80), who moved the court for the demolition of the Twin Towers, said, “I am very satisfied with the test blast today.”
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Noida) Elmaran Ji said that adequate police force, ambulance, fire brigade were arranged at the time of test blast.
“A platoon of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) was kept ready to test blasts while over 50 policemen from Gautam Buddh Nagar were also on duty at that time,” the official said.
The road in front of the Twin Towers and Emerald Court was temporarily closed by police before and after the test explosion as a precaution.
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