Twin tower demolition: Boundary wall of nearby society damaged

NOIDA: While the twin towers' demolition largely remained successful, a boundary wall of a nearby residential society suffered damage while windowpanes of several apartments developed cracks, officials said here on Sunday.

A Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) pipeline that goes through the now-demolished structures is safe, the officials said.

The remarks came after a preliminary analysis of structural damages shortly after the Supertech twin towers' demolition at 2.30 pm by a team of Edifice Engineering, Jet Demolitions, Central Building Research Institute and Noida Authority. There appears to be no significant structural damage to the adjacent buildings, officials had said earlier.

''The boundary wall of ATS Village adjoining twin towers suffered damages of about 10 metres. Windowpanes of several nearby apartments in both Emerald Court and ATS Village also got cracked,'' CBRI Senior Principal Scientist D P Kanungo said.

''The GAIL pipeline is safe. Iron sheets measuring 5 by 5 metres were placed above the pipeline at two locations. Besides, several tyres were also placed on top of them to absorb debris shock,'' Kanungo said.

Earlier, Noida Authority CEO Ritu Maheshwari said the demolition was largely successful. Edifice Engineering partner Utkarsh Mehta also described the demolition a success.

Mehta had earlier said that his firm had got a Rs 100 crore insurance done for any post-demolition damages.

''We have hired a contractor who would start replacing the cracked windowpanes of all apartments in the two societies after 6 pm,'' Mehta said.