The Delhi Development Authority on Saturday said it has initiated the process to hire a consultant for the demolition of the infamous Signature View apartments in North Delhi’s Mukherjee Nagar.
The land-owning agency has invited proposals specifying the method and processes to be adopted for the demolition of the multi-storey complex as well as the removal and recycling of the demolition waste which will be generated in the process.
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Officials said the bids can be submitted by November 15 and all the modalities regarding the demolition process are expected to be wrapped up by December.
“The consultant will take about a month for the initial surveys and a company will simultaneously be appointed for the demolition process. We are hoping the entire process is completed within around three months so we can start reconstruction,” said Subhashish Panda, vice chairperson, DDA.
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A DDA official said that the consultant will be expected to specify the ideal method to be used for the demolition and a detailed sequence. “The consultant will also render assistance in getting necessary permission and NoCs, suggest measures to prevent air, water, and noise pollution, measures to safeguard nearby structures that may get damaged during demolition, time frame for demolition and disposal, recycle of waste and calculate the net credit value of the project,” the request for proposal issued by the DDA on Saturday said.
Most flats in the society have suffered structural damage over the years — with collapsed ceilings, cracked walls and tottering balconies common features across the 12 towers. According to an agreement with residents, DDA will evacuate, demolish and rebuild the towers within three years of the signing of the evacuation agreement. In the interim, DDA will pay rent to all homeowners who choose to return once the rebuilding process is complete.
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HT on September 21 reported that the apartments go down like Noida towers and a controlled implosion may be the only way to safely pull down the crumbling towers.
The apartment complex comprises 12 towers of 336 flats and the reinforced concrete structure is 13 years old. Out of these 12 towers, ten towers feature stilt and ten floors while the rest of the two towers are six-storey structures.
In November 2022, experts from IIT Delhi examined the towers and concluded that the apartments were “unfit for habitation”. Following this, Delhi lieutenant governor (LG) VK Saxena in January this year ordered DDA to “vacate and dismantle” the towers. In September, DDA offered the final agreement to the residents who were given time till October 15 to sign the documents. After that, residents were given 45 days to evacuate the place and after November 30, DDA will withdraw all services such as electrical and maintenance.
According to the agreement, DDA will construct 168 new flats in addition to 336 flats of existing flat owners. These 168 flats will be available to DDA for disposal. The agreement also said the facilitation amount towards rent shall be paid flat-wise to each owner irrespective of whether they reside in the flat or have rented it out. “The rent of ₹50,000 per month for HIG owners and ₹38,000 per month for MIG owners shall be paid from the day when all the flat owners hand over the vacant flats to the authority. This payment shall continue up to the end date,” the official said.
