Two illegally built skyscrapers near New Delhi have been demolished, thousands of pounds of explosives leveling them in less than 10 seconds.
Blocks of flats on the outskirts of IndiaThe capital of , were the tallest structures ever demolished in the country in such a short time.
Thousands of people had to be moved from their homes before demolition, and crowds watched from nearby rooftops, cheering as the 103-meter (338-foot) towers came down.
Over 3,700 kg (8,100 lb) of explosives were used on the 32 and 29 storey buildings – but placed strategically to avoid damage to the surroundings of Noida city.
“Basically everything is fine,” government administrator Ritu Maheshwari said after the demolition. “It went as planned.”
Water sprinklers dampened huge clouds of dust from the Apex and Ceyane towers, and some buildings had been covered with white plastic sheeting to protect them.
The buildings were not yet occupied.
The order to destroy them came from the Supreme Court following a long legal battle that ended when the court found that their construction violated several building and fire safety regulations.
The court also declared that the construction was illegal because the builder had not received the mandatory consent of other apartment owners in the area.
Authorities plan to use some of the 80,000 tons of rubble expected to fill the site, and they intend to recycle the rest.
A man who lived near the site had booked hotel rooms to keep his twins away – one of whom has asthma.
Mechanical engineer Sudeep Roy said: “It’s best to stay away from the blast site for 24 hours as the air will become toxic and we don’t know what impact this may have on our health.”
