HC stays demolition of clinic, restaurant

PRAYAGRAJ: : In an urgent hearing, on Sunday, the Allahabad high court stayed demolition of a homeopathic clinic and restaurant by the Prayagraj Development Authority till the next date of hearing on February 24.

The PDA was removing all the bottlenecks and encroachments leading to various colonies on Kanpur Road and on the way of a proposed dedicated corridor for the Prayagraj Airport .

The court had also directed authorities concerned to show in what manner the encroachment has been made by the petitioners which requires demolition.

The bench comprising justice Pritinker Diwaker and justice Ashutosh Srivastava passed the order on a petition filed by Rakesh Gupta and two others.

Petitioners were in possession of the plot and homoeopathic clinic and restaurant for the last 100 years and their property was also allotted a house number and was also assessed for the taxes by the nagar nigam.

According to the petitioner, high court in a public interest litigation filed in 2019 directed for the removal of all the encroachments leading to various colonies on Kanpur Road and in the way of the proposed dedicated corridor for the Prayagraj Airport.

However, authorities in the garb of demolition drive are trying to demolish the constructions raised by the petitioners.

Further, it was contended by the petitioners that due to rise in Covid cases, the high court by its order dated January 11, 2022 has passed general orders, putting in abeyance till February 28, 2022, all the orders of eviction, dispossession or demolition already passed by the high court, district court or civil court, if not already executed.

Thus, in the light of the January 11 order, concerned authorities must be restrained from demolishing their shops.