Implosion of Chander Kunj twin towers may take only seconds, says expert agency
The Chander Kunj twin towers on Silver Sand Island in Vyttila will be razed to the ground sequentially in a matter of seconds, though preparation
The Chander Kunj twin towers on Silver Sand Island in Vyttila will be razed to the ground sequentially in a matter of seconds, though preparation for the demolition and clearance of debris may collectively take six months, according to the expert agency engaged for the task. Mumbai-based Edifice Engineering and South Africa’s Jet Demolition concluded their two-day pre-demolition inspections of the towers and the larger property on Monday. The inspection was carried out by a team comprising Edifice Engineering partner Uttkarsh Mehta, Jet Demolition Operations Manager Kevin Smit, and Technician Robert Brinkmann. The two firms had earlier overseen the demolition of the Maradu apartment complexes.
“We conducted thorough checks and will now undertake detailed planning based on our findings. The actual demolition may take only seconds, with a press of the button timed so the towers collapse one after the other, reducing the impact on ground. Preparation for demolition may take three-and-a-half months, while debris clearance may require another two-and-a-half months,” said Mr. Mehta. He stressed that demolition should be carried out at the earliest, as the structure was in poor condition. While it was stable enough to conduct the implosion, corrosion was advanced in several areas. The team examined structural strength, load-bearing capacity, concrete quality, reinforcement status, and overall behaviour of the buildings.
The same implosion technology using explosives, employed in the Maradu case, will be adopted for the Chander Kunj towers. Mehta identified ensuring the safety of residents in Tower A, which must be retained, as the biggest logistical challenge, but assured that it would be spared structural damage. The company also guaranteed that nearby apartment buildings and the Kochi metro line, located more than 50 metres away, would remain unaffected. It claimed expertise in carrying out demolitions without causing structural damage even within a nine-metre radius. Mehta expressed confidence that the demolition contract with the Army Welfare Housing Organisation (AWHO) would be signed within a week.
The Kerala High Court had originally ordered the demolition and reconstruction of Towers B and C of Chander Kunj Army Towers, citing structural issues, on February 3, 2025. On September 10, 2025, the High Court disposed of writ appeals filed by apartment owners. The twin towers, each 26 storeys high, comprise 204 apartments.
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