The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh on Saturday razed an illegal structure built by a person named Shahid, said to be a close associate of Mukhtar Ansari, strongman MLA from Mau in the heart of state capital Lucknow.
The Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) team demolished the fourth floor of Rani Saltanat Plaza located next to Sahu Cinema in Lucknow's Hazratganj district. All the 10 illegal shops on the fourth floor of the plaza were demolished. A big police contingent was present during the operation.
The LDA had issued a notice nearly a month ago to demolish this illegal plaza.
Lucknow District Magistrate and LDA Vice-Chairman, Abhishek Prakash, said Mukhtar Ansari is not directly linked to this matter but this building has been found to belong to one of his close aides.
Action is being taken against the plaza in zone 6 under the leadership of Ritu Suhas, LDA Joint Secretary. The action which started on Saturday morning continues even after five hours. The shops were built with glass and marble stones in the illegally built three-storeyed plaza.
The plaza built next to Hazratganj Gandhi Ashram allegedly belongs to Rani Sultanate. Illegal construction is razed down next to the Authority's zone 6 of Hazratganj Gandhi Ashram.
Joint Secretary Ritu Suhas, Executive Engineer Kamaljeet, Interior Engineer Bharat Pandey, Interior Engineer Nityanand Chaubey and Assistant Engineer N.S. Shakya oversaw the demolition.
On the instructions of District Magistrate (DM) Abhishek Prakash, all the 10 illegal shops built in the fourth floor of the plaza were demolished. This entire building is built over nearly five square feet. Engineers pointed out that the fourth floor was built opposite the map of the site.
Notice has already been given earlier, but neither the complex owner followed the same policy nor broke the illegal construction himself. Therefore, the Lucknow Development Authority has taken the requisite action. The DM said the shops would be demolished first and then the side walls razed. Finally the roof was demolished as well.