Now Reading: Lucknow building cracks force 25 families to flee illegal six-storey block
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Lucknow building cracks force 25 families to flee illegal six-storey block
Lucknow building cracks force 25 families to flee illegal six-storey block
A pillar in the SA Apartment building in Lucknow's Wazirganj area developed cracks on Monday morning, prompting the emergency evacuation of 25 families. The Lucknow Development Authority had sanctioned only a stilt…
A pillar in the SA Apartment building in Lucknow's Wazirganj area developed cracks on Monday morning, prompting the emergency evacuation of 25 families. The Lucknow Development Authority had sanctioned only a stilt plus three floors in 2009, but the building had been illegally expanded to six storeys, with rooms even sold on the unauthorised terrace floor.
LDA additional secretary Gyanendra Verma confirmed the building exceeded its approved plan. Authority records show a notice was issued in 2020 for the sixth-floor violation, but the property was not sealed. Residents reported feeling tremors and accused owners of ignoring complaints about weak pillars for six months.
District magistrate Vishak G and mayor Sushma Kharkwal visited the site. Kharkwal ordered an immediate structural safety assessment. The LDA has sealed the building and will recover the cost of stabilisation equipment from owner Shahabuddin. Residents await shelter arrangements and clarity on their future.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The Lucknow episode mirrors a pattern seen across Indian cities where sanctioned building plans are routinely flouted without consequence. Under the Uttar Pradesh Urban Planning and Development Act, 1973, local development authorities like LDA are empowered to seal illegal structures and recover demolition costs, but enforcement has historically been uneven. The lapse here, a notice issued in 2020 with no follow-up sealing, raises questions about the authority's inspection protocols and whether political or financial influence allowed the violation to persist for six years. For the 25 families now displaced, the immediate concern is shelter and the return of their life savings invested in flats that may be structurally unsound. The next concrete signal will be the structural audit report ordered by the mayor, which will determine whether the building can be salvaged or must be demolished, and whether the owner faces criminal prosecution under the Indian Penal Code for endangering public safety.
Source: hindustantimes.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
