LDA stops demolition of FI Hospital midway after high court stay order

The Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) began demolishing the FI Hospital in Lucknow but had to stop after a court granted a stay until January 12.

The Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) on Friday started demolition of the FI Hospital in Hussainganj here, but had to stop the drive midway after the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court granted a stay on the exercise till January 12.

After the builder failed to respond, LDA on Friday went to demolish the building. (FOR REPRESENTATION)

Senior officials of the development authority, along with a large police contingent, reached the four-floor FI Hospital, which was not in operation for the past several months, around 10am to start the demolition drive.

FI Hospital and its adjoining FI Tower belong to realtor Monis Iqbal and his brother Siraj Iqbal. FI Hospital was constructed without an approved map, according to additional secretary, LDA, Gyanendra Varma. That is why the demolition orders were issued, according to the LDA.

The builder was given a month’s time to respond after the demolition orders were issued by the development authority.

After the builder failed to respond, LDA on Friday went to demolish the building.

The LDA rendered the building beyond use by demolishing the walls and the roof on all the floors by 2.30pm when the high court ordered the stay.

The LDA on December 24 last year demolished 35 illegal shops in the parking lot of the FI Tower in Hussainganj and sealed the FI Hospital.

Monis Iqbal, 52, director of FI Builders, was arrested in December last year by the Qaiserbagh police team from near Amir-ud-Daula Public Library after an FIR was registered against him.

Monis Iqbal, his brother Siraj Iqbal and their aide Michel Paul had got the eight-storey FI Tower and the FI Hospital constructed in Hussainganj.