Twin towers demolition: Supertech plans another housing project on the land patch, to seek approval from Noida Authority

Claiming that the company has the ownership rights of the plot, supertech Chairman R K Arora said he will submit a proposal in this regard before the Noida Authority to get approval for the project.

Days after the demolition of its twin towers in Noida’s sector 93A, realty firm Supertech is planning to launch a new housing project on the land patch once the debris is removed.

Claiming that the company has the ownership rights of the plot, supertech Chairman R K Arora said he will submit a proposal in this regard before the Noida Authority to get approval for the project.

Stating that the Noida Authority had allotted the land for group housing, Arora told ToI, “The land belongs to us and we will soon submit our plan to Noida Authority for approval as per building regulations. If the consent of the RWA of Emerald Court is required, then we will seek consent.”

Arora’s contention may give a new twist to this decade-old confrontation between the company and the Emerald Court RWA, which fought the legal battle against erecting twin structures in Allahabad high court and then the Supreme Court.

Arora said current rules allow Supertech to develop a group housing project there. “We will develop whatever is permitted. A group housing project is possible as the plot was primarily allotted for a group housing project,” he said. Referring to the RWA’s stand, he added, “We will see if they have some observation… but as per the policy, we can develop the project,” ToI reported.

UBS Teotia, president of the Emerald Court RWA and one of the core petitioners in the case against the twin towers, said the residents would decide how the twin towers’ land is used, not Supertech.

“This land belongs to us and the developer cannot do anything without our consent. The RWA will hold a meeting with all residents on what they would like on this land. Later, we will get it approved by the Noida Authority. Whatever the cost of the project is, the RWA will finance it,” he said.

The main violations that the Supreme Court had found were that the construction plan sanctioned by the Noida Authority was contrary to building regulations, mandatory distance between building blocks, and movement space required between structures. As a result, it observed, the “rights of the apartment owners and the safety of their apartment blocks have been seriously affected”.

Aster-2, the 12-storey building at Emerald Court that was closest to the twin towers, had just a 9-metre separation from the outer wall of Apex, the taller of the twin towers. This distance should have at least been 16 metres.

Rajesh Rana, who lives in Aster-2, said, “The apex court ruled that the twin towers were illegal. They have just been demolished and the developer is making such comments. Most residents want this to be a green area or garden belt. We are not in favour of any commercial activities here. Maybe a children’s park is a good idea,” he said. Another Emerald Court resident wondered what the point was of bringing the twin towers down if buildings again came up on that plot.