KOCHI: Ending the decade-old legal battles over the violation of Coastal Regulations Zone (CRZ) norms at Vembanad lake, three highrises at Maradu — 18-storey Holy Faith H2O and 16-storey Alfa Serene twin towers — finally turned to dust on Saturday.
Amid cheers from the crowd and anxious moments, the buildings tumbled down with a screeching sound, setting off a huge cloud of dust that engulfed the area. Holy Faith H2O and Alfa Serene, which was scheduled for demolition at 11am and 11.05am respectively, were razed at 11.17am and 11.41am due to an unforseen delay. Officials clarified that a helicopter of Indian Navy was spotted monitoring the site, which was unanticipated by the administration. “The entire Maradu sky comes within the Navy’s jurisdiction. They may have come after spotting some drones,” said an official.
While it took 11 seconds for Holy Faith H2O to crumble down, the second and third implosions (Alfa twin towers) lasted for eight seconds each.
A portion of debris from ‘B’ tower of Alfa Serene fell into the backwaters, which the officials clarified was deliberately done to ensure the safety of the residences in the neighbourhood. “The entire process was successful. It was a wonderfully executed job. We had purposefully let the debris fell into the water to save the nearby homes. Every vibration readings are within the safety levels. There were minor damage to nearby houses, which we will rectify in the coming days,” said Ernakulam Collector S Suhas, after visiting the areas.
People from various parts of the state, including the families of those who lost their apartments, gathered outside the exclusion zone of 200 metres from the demolition site to witness the ‘spectacle’.
The apex court had on May 8, 2019, ordered the demolition of the five highrises citing CRZ violations. The demolition of two more highrises — Jains Coral Cove and Golden Kayaloram — on Sunday will bring an end to dramatic events that unfolded after the SC bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra ordered the demolition of the highrises.
A portion of debris from ‘B’ tower of Alfa Serene fell into the backwaters, which the officials said was deliberately done to ensure safety of nearby residences
Benchmark for demolition standards
Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (Peso) officials were upbeat after the process and said they have set a benchmark for controlled implosions in the country. “We have set a benchmark for demolition standards in the country. So far, India doesn’t have a demolition code. Maradu can be taken as a model for the Bureau of Indian Standards to ensure an operating procedure for future demolitions,” said R Venugopal, Deputy Chief of Explosives, Peso.