India witnessed the historic twin-tower demolition in NCR area yesterday, at 2:30pm IST on 28 Aug 2022, in compliance with directions for the same passed by the Hon'ble Supreme Court last year. The demolition took place under the supervision of the Noida authority and at the expense of Supertech Limited, the Noida-based Real Estate Development Company. The pivot of the entire fiasco leading to such court-order was primarily the illegal construction of the twin-towers, Ceyane and Apex, having 40 floors above the land. These formed a part of the bigger project, Emerald Court, launched in mid-2000s, which were to comprise of 3 to 5 BHK flats located off the expressway, currently having an estimated valuation between 1 to 3 crores! The root of the dispute also included building of 15 eleven-storied towers instead of the originally promised 14 nine-storied ones. Further, the proposed 'green area' slyly got replaced by the concrete, cemented complex for Ceyane and Apex. The Court observed that all this was done by Supertech in 'nefarious complicity' with the Noida Authority. Hence, the demolition was ordered. And interestingly, the order saw execution yesterday afternoon by the peculiar process of 'implosion' (bottom-to-top collapse in this case), using 3700 kgs of explosive substance. At this juncture, it becomes relevant to understand the deep precedential impact of this judgment on the country's real estate sector and consumer jurisprudence. 'Contraventions and illegalities shall not be tolerated' - might be one huge takeaway for all through this incident, strongly restoring the faith of the 'aam aadmi' in a system that's said to be based on 'rule of law' and 'Satyamev Jayate'! Being in the active practise of law, when i reflected upon this entire episode from my own humble viewpoint, my philosophical side sought refuge in Biblical inspiration for the title, hoping to do justice to sum up what appeared on national television to be like 'Dussehra' with 'Ravan being burnt down to ashes by Lord Ram' - much analogous to 'Good prevails over Evil'. Or so was it?...

Dust Thou Art, to Dust Returnest

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India witnessed the historic twin-tower demolition in NCR area yesterday, at 2:30pm IST on 28 Aug 2022, in compliance with directions for the same passed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court last year. The demolition took place under the supervision of the Noida authority and at the expense of Supertech Limited, the Noida-based Real Estate Development […]

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