New Delhi: Around 500 police and traffic personnel have been deployed as the area around Supertech's twin towers in Noida was put out of bounds for civilians ahead of Sunday's planned demolition of the structures. The deployment also includes personnel from Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC).
Road diversions were put in place early in the morning and the evacuation of all residents from the two adjoining housing societies of Emerlad Court and ATS Village in Sector 93A was completed around 8 am, news agency PTI reported the police officials as saying.
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Over 3,700 kg of explosives has been loaded into the twin towers, which are scheduled to be imploded at 2.30 pm, and an area of roughly 500 square metres around them has been converted into an exclusion zone, where no human, vehicle or animal is allowed.
DCP Rajesh S, who is also the police's incident commander for overseeing the evacuation exercise, said, "Around 400 civil police personnel were on demolition duty Sunday."
According to PTI, DCP (Traffic) Ganesh Saha said separately that 150 to 200 traffic personnel were also deployed across Noida at all crucial junctions to facilitate movement of vehicles in view of restrictions and diversions on several routes.
Saha said his department was keeping commuters informed about the changes and Google Maps was showing real-time updates on diversions.
"In case of any doubt, people can call up Noida traffic helpline number 99710 09001 for updates," the officer said.
The nearly 100-metre-tall Apex and Ceyane towers – taller than Delhi's iconic Qutub Minar – are scheduled to be demolished at 2.30 pm today in pursuance of a Supreme Court order that found their construction within Emerald Court premises in violation of norms.
(With Agency Inputs)