NEW DELHI: The Delhi Development Authority (DDA) has decided to demolish the Signature View Apartments in Mukherjee Nagar using a conventional floor-by-floor method rather than the implosion technique used on Noida’s Supertech twin towers.
Officials revealed that experts deemed the building’s structural quality extremely poor, making it unsafe to drill into weak walls for the insertion of explosives. The complex consists of 10 towers with stilt plus 10 stories and two towers with stilt plus six stories, surrounded by the SFS Flats Society and other residential and commercial properties.
The demolition is set to commence soon as the DDA finalizes the agency responsible for executing the work. “Given the densely populated area and the location of the apartments, manual demolition has been preferred over explosives,” stated an official.
While the demolition was expected to start this week, some residents have yet to fully comply with Supreme Court directives. “A number of individuals still need to remove their belongings or submit confirmation documents of their vacated flats. This is despite several notifications from the DDA and ongoing communication through the RWA about the assistance camps established in the complex. We urge their cooperation for the redevelopment plan,” the official added.
According to sources, DDA has issued a final notice to vacate the complex, warning that any remaining flats will be considered ‘deemed vacated’. The demolition agency will have four months to dismantle the towers and clear the debris. “We are mindful of any restrictions on construction activities that may arise under GRAP-II,” the official said.
On Monday, RWA members reported that no one currently resides in the complex, although a few residents still need to retrieve their belongings. Some gathered on-site to celebrate Chhath Puja, marking an emotional farewell.
“This is our last Chhath celebration before redevelopment begins. We hope to return in 36 months to celebrate the festival here again. Some individuals have yet to remove their doors, bathroom fixtures, and electrical items. A few face challenges due to the DDA’s discontinuation of lift operations, but we ask everyone to vacate the complex,” said Gaurav Pandey, general secretary of the RWA. He mentioned a hearing regarding the complex’s floor area ratio is scheduled for next month, after which reconstruction will commence.
On Oct 13, a joint team from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) and DDA officials disconnected the water and power supply to the apartments following requests from residents seeking an extension to the vacate deadline. The Supreme Court had set Oct 12 as the final deadline for vacating all 336 flats.
Constructed between 2007 and 2010 and allotted in 2011-2012, the Signature View Apartments began exhibiting structural issues within a few years. Following multiple complaints, the DDA commissioned a structural audit by IIT-Delhi in 2021-22, which recommended immediate evacuation and demolition due to safety concerns.
DDA officials indicated that the authority acceded to the RWA’s request for a facilitation allowance beginning July 2023, contingent upon proof like zero electricity or water bills.
