Broken real estate policy: Twin towers' demolition should not be the end

Better ways than demolition need to be found to deal with such issues in the future

The demolition of the Supertech Twin Towers in Noida, following an adverse court judgment, brings to an inglorious close a saga that has lasted almost two decades. The company had been ordered a year ago to demolish the building on the grounds that it violated a “minimum distance requirement”, following local middle-class residents complaining that the 40-storey towers blocked out sunlight and fresh air. The company has had to take a major hit on its balance sheet; although the height of the towers was raised several times following orders from the Noida development agency, the agency itself, alongside the officials