LDA issues order to demolish tainted ex-minister’s building
LUCKNOW: The Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) on Tuesday issued orders to demolish an illegal under-construction building of Gayatri Prajapati, former mining minister in the Samajwadi Party government.
The building, which was being constructed without approval of map in Bangla Bazar area, was sealed on April 15. The LDA gave 15 days’ time to Prajapati to get it demolished. After this time frame, the building will be razed by the development authority. According to LDA officials, Prajapati’s under-construction building is spread over an area of 350 sq metre land.
Prajapati’s fate took a nosedive after the Samajwadi Party lost the assembly election and BJP came to power. With former vicechairman of LDA, Satyendra Singh, removed, all policies of the ex-V-C were also being scrutinised. With a new government in the state, the LDA launched a drive against illegal structures. The development authority is sealing all such buildings that are being constructed in violation of norms. “The building was being constructed without getting the map approved from the development authority,” said AK Singh, executive engineer, LDA.
Rampant construction activity in the city has come under scanner of the state government.
After Prajapati, former minister in the SP government Sharda Pratap Shukla is on the development authority’s radar.
Recently, the LDA got its large chunk of land under illegal possession of Shukla vacated in Bangla Bazar. Divisional commissioner Anil Garg, who is holding additional charge of LDA V-C, on Tuesday, approved shops and flats on this plot. In its ongoing drive against illegal constructions, the development authority sealed five illegal constructions on Tuesday.