Shashwati Chowdhury
Published on: June 06, 2022, at 21:17 IST
The Supreme Court of India upheld an order of the Allahabad High Court ordering the demolition of ‘Twin Towers’ being built by Supertech Ltd. (“Super-tech”) in Noida due to illegal construction facilitated by collusion between the developer and the development authority in a landmark judgement issued on August 31, 2021. The Supreme Court’s demolition orders highlight the Rule of Law and Public Safety.
“The CEO Noida shall take all necessary steps for observing directions of this court. Work of demolition shall commence no later than two weeks from this order,” a Bench of Justices D Y Chandrachud and Surya Kant, who also ordered the CEO to convene a meeting with all agencies involved in the demolition, including the Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL), within 72 hours to finalise the dates and schedule
The Bench comprising Justices DY Chandrachud and Surya Kant upheld the Allahabad High Court judgement, ordering the building group to demolish the twin towers and sanctioning prosecution of the officials.
The towers were built “by acts of collusion between officers of NOIDA… and the group”, according to the SC, and they violated restrictions regarding distance to be maintained between buildings, fire safety regulations. It also cleared the way for officials from both parties to be prosecuted for violating the Uttar Pradesh Industrial Area Development Act of 1976 and the Uttar Pradesh Apartments Act of 2010.
The purpose of the regulations, according to the SC, is to ensure environmental protection as well as the well-being and safety of those who occupy these structures. So, the Bench observed that:
“When these regulations are brazenly violated by developers, more often than not with the connivance of regulatory authorities, it strikes at the very core of urban planning, thereby directly resulting in increased environmental harm and a dilution of safety standards.” “Illegal construction must be dealt with strictly to ensure compliance with the rule of law.”
Two high-rise residential towers developed by real estate developer Super-tech in Noida’s Emerald Court housing society are set to be demolished by August 28.