News Analysis India

Tag: Noida

  • Noida twin towers demolition: Boundary wall of nearby society damaged, flats’ windowpanes got cracks

    By PTI

    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.

    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.

  • Twin tower demolition: One nautical mile of air space to remain briefly unavailable for flights 

    By PTI

    NOIDA: One nautical mile of air space around the twin tower demolition site in Noida will remain briefly unavailable for flights on August 28, the Noida Authority said on Friday.

    A nautical mile is equal to approximately 1.8 kilometres.

    The Union Ministry of Civil Aviation has given its consent for this, the Noida Authority said as it oversaw preparations for the demolition of the nearly 100-metre-tall twin towers on Sunday.

    “In view of the dust generated after the demolition, on the recommendation of the Noida Authority, the Ministry of Aviation has given its consent for the non-availability of one nautical mile of air space for aircraft to fly at the time of demolition,” it said in a statement.

    ALSO READ | Demolition preparation of Noida’s Supertech twin towers complete

    Earlier, the Noida police on Thursday banned the use of drones in city skies from August 26 till August 31 citing security reasons in view of the demolition of Supertech’s illegal towers.

    Deputy Commissioner of Police (Headquarters) Ram Badan Singh invoked the powers under CrPC Section 144 as he passed the ban order.

    Police had also declared that drones will be allowed but only beyond the “exclusion zone” of about 500 metres and that too with their permission. No human, animal or vehicles would be allowed in the exclusion zone on August 28.

    The nearly 100-metre-tall Apex and Ceyane towers -taller than Delhi’s iconic Qutub Minar–are scheduled to be demolished at 2.30 pm on August 28 in pursuance of a Supreme Court order that found their construction within Emerald Court premises in violation of norms.

    Over 5,000 residents living in Emerald Court and adjoining ATS Village society will be evacuated on August 28. They will vacate premises by 7 am and are allowed only after safety clearance post demolition by agencies concerned around 4 pm.

    NOIDA: One nautical mile of air space around the twin tower demolition site in Noida will remain briefly unavailable for flights on August 28, the Noida Authority said on Friday.

    A nautical mile is equal to approximately 1.8 kilometres.

    The Union Ministry of Civil Aviation has given its consent for this, the Noida Authority said as it oversaw preparations for the demolition of the nearly 100-metre-tall twin towers on Sunday.

    “In view of the dust generated after the demolition, on the recommendation of the Noida Authority, the Ministry of Aviation has given its consent for the non-availability of one nautical mile of air space for aircraft to fly at the time of demolition,” it said in a statement.

    ALSO READ | Demolition preparation of Noida’s Supertech twin towers complete

    Earlier, the Noida police on Thursday banned the use of drones in city skies from August 26 till August 31 citing security reasons in view of the demolition of Supertech’s illegal towers.

    Deputy Commissioner of Police (Headquarters) Ram Badan Singh invoked the powers under CrPC Section 144 as he passed the ban order.

    Police had also declared that drones will be allowed but only beyond the “exclusion zone” of about 500 metres and that too with their permission. No human, animal or vehicles would be allowed in the exclusion zone on August 28.

    The nearly 100-metre-tall Apex and Ceyane towers -taller than Delhi’s iconic Qutub Minar–are scheduled to be demolished at 2.30 pm on August 28 in pursuance of a Supreme Court order that found their construction within Emerald Court premises in violation of norms.

    Over 5,000 residents living in Emerald Court and adjoining ATS Village society will be evacuated on August 28. They will vacate premises by 7 am and are allowed only after safety clearance post demolition by agencies concerned around 4 pm.

  • Demolition preparation of Noida’s Supertech twin towers complete

    Express News Service

    With just two days to go for the demolition of Supertech’s twin towers — Ceyane and Apex– in Noida, the work to raze the illegally constructed 100-metre tall buildings is almost complete. The 40-storey building is slated to be demolished at 2.30 pm on Sunday, August 28, in compliance with the Supreme Court order.

    The apex court had found the twin structures in Sector 93A built in violation of norms. Earlier, the razing was scheduled for August 21 but it was deferred by a week by the court following Noida Authority’s request for an extension.

    As part of the preparations for demolition, both towers have been loaded with around 3,700 kg of explosives filled in 9,400 holes drilled in the columns and shears of the skeletal structures of the twin towers to bring it crashing down under controlled demolition.

    “All preparations have been made for the blast to be held on this Sunday. Today the final spot visit and meeting with the stakeholders was done. Explosives loaded on both towers,” said Ritu Maheshwari, CEO, Noida Authority while talking to media persons.

    Maheshwari claimed that both towers would be demolished in 10-12 seconds. “Demolition will lead to around 80,000 tons of debris of which around 50,000-55,000 tons would be used here at the site for filling purpose, rest would go for recycling,” she said.

    ALSO READ | Twin towers demolition: ‘No fly zone’ for drones in Noida on August 28

    The Noida Authority CEO also added that the residents – 7,000-8,000—living in 1400 flats of the two adjacent societies — Emerald Court and ATS Village — would be vacated till 7 am on Sunday and after the visit of the site by the agencies concerned post-demolition, they would be given the permission to returnto their flats.

    “The exclusion zone built in 500-700 metres periphery of the twin towers to be demolished would be closed for the whole day on Sunday.   Traffic on Noida and Greater Noida Expressway would be diverted from 2 pm-3 pm,” said Maheshwari. She added that fire tenders, sensitized medical teams and other emergency services would be kept war ready on the day of demolition.

    Around 1,200 vehicles belonging to residents of the two housing societies will also be removed from the premises for the period. The Noida Authority will provide space for them in the multilevel parking facility at Botanical Garden metro station

    Meanwhile, on Thursday, the power supply to both the towers was snapped due to which the team of six experts of demolition company Edifice Engineering and Johannesburg were walking up and down the 32 floors of the building 2 to 3 times a day to give final shape to the preparations.

    The expert team examined 32 floors, three times a day, to check cable connections to the explosives and materials installed around the building for implosion. The loading of explosives was already done on August 22nd.

    With just two days to go for the demolition of Supertech’s twin towers — Ceyane and Apex– in Noida, the work to raze the illegally constructed 100-metre tall buildings is almost complete. The 40-storey building is slated to be demolished at 2.30 pm on Sunday, August 28, in compliance with the Supreme Court order.

    The apex court had found the twin structures in Sector 93A built in violation of norms. Earlier, the razing was scheduled for August 21 but it was deferred by a week by the court following Noida Authority’s request for an extension.

    As part of the preparations for demolition, both towers have been loaded with around 3,700 kg of explosives filled in 9,400 holes drilled in the columns and shears of the skeletal structures of the twin towers to bring it crashing down under controlled demolition.

    “All preparations have been made for the blast to be held on this Sunday. Today the final spot visit and meeting with the stakeholders was done. Explosives loaded on both towers,” said Ritu Maheshwari, CEO, Noida Authority while talking to media persons.

    Maheshwari claimed that both towers would be demolished in 10-12 seconds. “Demolition will lead to around 80,000 tons of debris of which around 50,000-55,000 tons would be used here at the site for filling purpose, rest would go for recycling,” she said.

    ALSO READ | Twin towers demolition: ‘No fly zone’ for drones in Noida on August 28

    The Noida Authority CEO also added that the residents – 7,000-8,000—living in 1400 flats of the two adjacent societies — Emerald Court and ATS Village — would be vacated till 7 am on Sunday and after the visit of the site by the agencies concerned post-demolition, they would be given the permission to return
    to their flats.

    “The exclusion zone built in 500-700 metres periphery of the twin towers to be demolished would be closed for the whole day on Sunday.   Traffic on Noida and Greater Noida Expressway would be diverted from 2 pm-3 pm,” said Maheshwari. She added that fire tenders, sensitized medical teams and other emergency services would be kept war ready on the day of demolition.

    Around 1,200 vehicles belonging to residents of the two housing societies will also be removed from the premises for the period. The Noida Authority will provide space for them in the multilevel parking facility at Botanical Garden metro station

    Meanwhile, on Thursday, the power supply to both the towers was snapped due to which the team of six experts of demolition company Edifice Engineering and Johannesburg were walking up and down the 32 floors of the building 2 to 3 times a day to give final shape to the preparations.

    The expert team examined 32 floors, three times a day, to check cable connections to the explosives and materials installed around the building for implosion. The loading of explosives was already done on August 22nd.

  • Absconding politician Shrikant Tyagi arrested from Meerut, three associates held

    By Agencies

    NOIDA: Absconding Noida politician Shrikant Tyagi, who was seen abusing and assaulting a woman at his housing society here, was arrested Tuesday from Meerut, officials said.

    Senior police officials said Tyagi’s three associates have also been held.

    On Monday, Uttar Pradesh government officials used a bulldozer to remove an encroachment outside Tyagi’s Noida residence.

    Tyagi had encroached a portion of the common area of the society in front of his flat by constructing temporary structures using pillars and tiles.

    He had also planted trees in a park in front of his residence.

    Tyagi, who was at large since Friday evening, had moved a court in the Gautam Buddh Nagar district with a plea for surrender-related procedures.

    The hearing in the matter has been listed for August 10.

    Until he went underground Friday night, Tyagi claimed he was associated with the BJP, even as the ruling party denied any links with him.

    The Opposition has also mounted an attack on the BJP over the issue.

    Tyagi had allegedly hurled expletives and assaulted the woman co-resident of Grand Omaxe who had objected to him planting trees in the common area of the society.

    Tyagi had claimed that he was well within his rights to do so.

    NOIDA: Absconding Noida politician Shrikant Tyagi, who was seen abusing and assaulting a woman at his housing society here, was arrested Tuesday from Meerut, officials said.

    Senior police officials said Tyagi’s three associates have also been held.

    On Monday, Uttar Pradesh government officials used a bulldozer to remove an encroachment outside Tyagi’s Noida residence.

    Tyagi had encroached a portion of the common area of the society in front of his flat by constructing temporary structures using pillars and tiles.

    He had also planted trees in a park in front of his residence.

    Tyagi, who was at large since Friday evening, had moved a court in the Gautam Buddh Nagar district with a plea for surrender-related procedures.

    The hearing in the matter has been listed for August 10.

    Until he went underground Friday night, Tyagi claimed he was associated with the BJP, even as the ruling party denied any links with him.

    The Opposition has also mounted an attack on the BJP over the issue.

    Tyagi had allegedly hurled expletives and assaulted the woman co-resident of Grand Omaxe who had objected to him planting trees in the common area of the society.

    Tyagi had claimed that he was well within his rights to do so.

  • Tentative date for Noida twin towers demolition moved to August 21

    By PTI

    NOIDA: The tentative date for demolition of Supertech’s illegal twin towers in Noida has been moved from August 28 to August 21, officials said on Tuesday.

    The Supreme Court had earlier permitted extending the demolition date till August 28 from May 22 this year after the private company engaged for the work approached it with a plea for time extension.

    “The tentative date for demolition has been moved to August 21 now. The time limit extension granted by the honourable Supreme Court is till August 28. The decision has been taken in order to create a buffer period so that the work is completed in any case by August 28,” Noida Authority’s CEO Ritu Maheshwari told PTI.

    The senior IAS officer said the private agency, Edifice Engineering, engaged for the demolition work by Supertech on Tuesday made a presentation to the Noida Authority about the work progress and its preparation.

    “The company said they are on track for the job. It said it has on its own taken a buffer period of 12 days from the actual date of demolition (August 28). They will be ready 12 days in advance. So it has been decided to shift the demolition date by one week to August 21,” Maheshwari said.

    The Supreme Court had on August 31 last year ordered the demolition of the nearly 100-metre tall twin towers which had come up in violation of building bye-laws inside Supertech’s Emerald Court group housing society in sector 93A.

    The towers were earlier scheduled for demolition on May 22 and test blasts were held on April 10 at the site by Edifice Engineering, which has further roped in South African firm Jet Demolitions for the work owing to its expertise in the job.

    During the meeting, chaired by Maheshwari, the status of compliance of the court orders with the described conditions and the problems arising out of the demolition were discussed, the Noida Authority said in a statement.

    Besides the Noida Authority, officials of the police department, fire department, Pollution Control Board, Central Building Research Institute (CBRI), Edifice Engineering and Supertech group were also present.

    Residents Welfare Association members of the Emerald Court society and its adjoining ATS village also took part in the discussions, it said.

    “Since the demolition proceedings should be done by August 28, therefore, to ensure compliance with the orders of Supreme Court, the date August 21 was fixed for the demolition, taking a grace period of one week, so that in any unavoidable circumstances, the demolition must be completed by August 28, 2022,” the statement read.

    By Wednesday, the areas falling within the radius of 50 metres of the twin towers should be identified and the information made available to both the RWAs, the Noida Authority asked the demolition agency.

    The pre-demolition structural audit of this 5-metre radius area by Edifice Engineering should be provided to the CBRI by June 30 and by the same time it should make available its plan for scientific disposal of construction and demolition waste to the Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board, according to the statement.

    The demolition firm has also been asked to present a report of the vibration test for the April 10 test blasts to the Gas Authority of India Limited (GAIL) and the CBRI. This report should be made available to them by June 20, it added.

  • Fake job racket busted in Noida; 10 held, five of them women

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Ten people, including five women, were arrested for allegedly duping people with offer of jobs, police said on Saturday.

    They have cheated more than 100 people in last four months, police said.

    A complaint was filed by one Priya Gupta, a graduate, who said she had applied for a job on an online portal, a senior police officer said.

    On January 13, she received a call telling her that her profile was shortlisted for a job in a company and she needed to pay a registration fee of Rs 1,000, which she did, the officer said.

    After a telephonic interview round, the caller asked more money from her, this time for documents verification, and she gave another Rs 9,900 to them.

    “Thereafter, she neither got the job, nor those people attended her call,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Northwest) Usha Rangnani said.

    During investigation, it was revealed that the call was made from a fake call centre being running from Noida Sector-63, she said.

    Police raided the place and nabbed 10 people involved in running the call centre, she said.

    The accused were identified as Om Prakash (26), Sunny Kumar (28), Balwant Singh (19), Sunny Kumar (21), Amit Kumar (19), Heena Gaur (23), Pinky Singh (22), Shalu (22), Neha (19) and Kumari Radha (23), police said.

    Two men — Om Prakash and Sunny Kumar — were identified as the brain behind the operation, with each owning one half of the enterprise.

    They hired others as manager, executives, and tele-callers, police said.

    During interrogation, they revealed that they had opened the call centre four months back and cheated over 100 people offering them jobs in different companies depending on their profile, the DCP said.

    The accused gathered information about people looking for jobs from internet.

    Female tele-callers, posing as executives, used to make calls to generate leads, and once they would find someone interested, they would give them WhatsApp numbers or email Ids of the male staff for further communication, police said.

    The men would then call them posing as managers, and would ask them to pay money for registration and documents verification, they said.

    The two masterminds told police that they used to work in a call centre in Noida, and influenced by the lifestyle of their employer, decided to open a call centre, police said.

    Two laptops, 23 mobile phones, and six ATM cards have been recovered from their possession, they added.

  • Two workers killed as portion of under-construction building collapses in Noida

    By PTI

    NOIDA: Two workers, including a woman, died after a portion of an under-construction building collapsed on them in Noida on Tuesday, police said.

    Two other workers were also injured in the incident that occurred on the private property in the D block of Sector 26.

    They have been hospitalised, a police official said.

    The deceased have been identified as Pushpa Bai (35) and Bharat Patel (50), both natives of Chhattisgarh.

    Maya (30), from Bihar, and Rameshwari (32), from Chhattisgarh, were injured.

    “The four workers were hired by a Delhi-based contractor. They were working in the basement of the building when a portion of it collapsed and they got trapped underneath the rubble,” a police spokesperson said.

    “They were later taken to a hospital where two of them died,” the spokesperson said.

    The bodies have been sent for post mortem and other legal proceedings in the case are being carried out, the police added.

  • Haryana gang sold girls to older men for marriage, six held: Noida Police

    By PTI

    NOIDA: The Gautam Buddh Nagar Police arrested six people, including three women, as it busted a Haryana-based gang allegedly involved in kidnapping and selling minor girls for marriage with men much older to them, officials said.

    Deputy Commissioner of Police (Women and Child Safety) Vrinda Shukla said the local Rabupura police team was probing the case of a missing 12-year-old girl which led it to the gang and its members were arrested on Saturday.

    Shukla said the gang would lure young girls into going away with them and then sell them off for money to men much older than them for marriage.

    “On December 26 last year, the 12-year-old girl’s mother reported to the local police that her daughter was playing outside their house but suddenly went missing,” Shukla said.

    She said an FIR was lodged immediately and searches launched by the police which, during investigation, found a gang suspected of involvement in the case.

    “The police found that some women were also members of the gang and it was a woman who had lured the girl from outside her house. The police found that the girl was sold to a 52-year-old man in Haryana for Rs 70,000. The man has been identified as Jasveer,” the DCP said.

    “As the gang was busted, five of its members were arrested, including three women. Jasveer, who had got married to the girl, has also been arrested,” she said.

    The Gautam Buddh Nagar police said the gang has been found operating from Rohtak in Haryana but picks up children from other nearby areas also.

    Five more people linked to the gang have been identified and the police have gathered evidence against them, Shukla said, adding they would also be arrested soon.

    An FIR has been lodged in the case at the Rabupura police station and legal proceedings are underway, she added.

  • Markets shut, roads empty on first day of weekend curfew in Delhi

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: Roads were empty and markets deserted on Saturday morning, as the weekend curfew began in the national capital.

    Lajpat Nagar market, which is usually very crowded was empty. The shops were shut with only the essential services operational.

    The people stepping out of their homes for work welcomed the move of the government and a resident of the locality said that the curfew will help contain the spread of the virus.

    “Curfew is important as it will help contain further spread of the virus, but the number of buses operating should increase. We are having to wait for nearly 15 minutes for the bus to come,” he said.

    Another crowded market on a normal day in Delhi, the Janpath market had a deserted look as well. An auto-driver said that he was out for work observing all the precautions.

    “It is necessary to come out of homes to earn a livelihood. I came out of home at 6 am and earned Rs 400 till 10 am and I am on my way back home. We are scared that the number of Covid-19 cases are increasing day by day. Precaution is important, but to make a living, work is also important. I use all precautions, I use sanitiser when I take cash,” he said.

    A resident of Delhi who was out for work said, “We have to go out of our homes for buying food. Things are different now. We are scared but will have to go out for work,” he said.

    Another resident said, “I am using a cycle to commute as there are problems with the bus. I am taking all precautions. But work is important, so I have to go out,” he said.

    Earlier, the DDMA decided to impose a curfew in Delhi on Saturdays and Sundays to curb the Covid-19 surge. All government officials except for those engaged in essential services will work from home. Around 50 per cent workforce of private offices will work from home.

  • Over 100 FIRs lodged in Noida for flouting firecracker ban during Diwali week

    By PTI

    NOIDA: More than 100 FIRs have been lodged and action taken against over 140 people for bursting firecrackers in Gautam Buddh Nagar in violation of norms this week, officials said on Saturday.

    These FIRs have been lodged for cases from November 3 to 5, including Diwali, across Noida and Greater Noida, police media cell in-charge Pankaj Kumar said.

    “As many as 114 FIRs were lodged during the period and action taken against 141 people for bursting firecrackers in violation of guidelines of the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal (NGT) as well as those of the Uttar Pradesh government to check pollution,” Kumar said.

    He added that action was taken only in cases where the prohibited variety of crackers with barium salt were used, and not for permitted crackers.

    The cases were lodged under IPC sections 269, 270, and 188 and under provisions of the Environment Protection Act, the official said.

    “Since these offences are bailable, offenders got bail from the police station but challans were issued to them for violation of the norms,” Kumar said.

    Meanwhile, the police have urged citizens not to use the prohibited variety of firecrackers and warned of action against violators.