India topples twin towers in biggest demolition in its history; watch video

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Two illegally erected residential towers over 100 meters tall were demolished this Sunday (28) on the outskirts of New Delhi, India. The buildings were the tallest to be imploded in the country, according to local officials.

The demolition was part of an order issued by the Indian Supreme Court last year after finding irregularities that could put residents at risk. The magistrates considered that the builders had violated a series of building rules, in a case considered unusual for the rigor of the country’s authorities against real estate and public officials involved in corruption.

Thousands of people were forced to leave the area as a precaution before the controlled explosion, which used approximately 3,700 kilograms of explosives.

The 32 floors of the Apex tower and the 29 floors of the Ceyane, which had almost a thousand apartments, collapsed in less than ten seconds. The implosion, broadcast live by the local press, raised a thick cloud of dust. A crowd accompanying the action cheered as the explosives detonated.

The properties were the subject of a long legal battle, spanning nine years, and were never inhabited.

Police said they are assessing whether there has been any damage to nearby buildings. Residents who live nearby also said they would check to see if their property was damaged. Traffic was slowly re-establishing, and firefighters were working to reduce dust levels.

India, Asia’s third-largest economy, with 1.4 billion people, has experienced the world’s fastest growth and a boom in the construction sector. In recent years, real estate companies have been accused of cutting construction costs by using inferior materials, while government officials are accused of bribing to ignore the problems.

In Noida and Greater Noida, on the outskirts of New Delhi, more than 100 skyscrapers have been abandoned, disfiguring the region’s landscape.

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