E-Paper
LMC prepares to raze 248 crumbling structures
The Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) will soon serve notices to owners of 248 dilapidated houses falling under the municipal limits
The Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) will soon serve notices to owners of 248 dilapidated houses falling under the municipal limits.
The municipal commissioner had ordered identification and demolition of dilapidated buildings in the state capital after the death of nine people in an incident of wall collapse in the Cantonment area, following the rain on Thursday and Friday.
Last year, chief minister Yogi Adityanath had ordered the demolition of dilapidated buildings after 23 people died when the roof of a crematorium collapsed in Murad Nagar on January 3, 2021.
The leader of opposition in LMC house, Sayyed Yawar Hussain said, “The accident like Lucknow Cantt could take place in these 248 buildings marked as dilapidated by LMC. Some of them are in very bad condition and can collapse any time. On April 2, during the lockdown last year, the outer gate of the historical and heavily encroached Sibtainabad Imambara in Hazratganj collapsed. No one was hurt as shops in the area were closed due to the lockdown. Imagine the havoc had the building collapsed during normal working days. The 173-year-old gate was in poor condition for years as it was encroached upon by some shops, including a restaurant, a rejuvenation centre and a paan shop, but the LMC never bothered to demolish it or serve notice to people concerned.”
He said, “The worrying fact is that 1,500 people still reside in these dilapidated houses according to the LMC’s report. In Golganj ward alone, there are 49 dilapidated buildings, followed by Rani Lakshmi Bai ward, Maulviganj, JC Bose Ward, Jadunath Sanyal Ward, Yahiyaganj Ward, and others.”
Additional municipal commissioner Abhay Pandey said that notices for demolishing such dangerous structures will be served to all owners of the buildings.
In an unrelated development, the LMC has installed 399 pumps at important places to flush out rainwater from low-lying areas. The LMC’s engineering department is also preparing to demolish encroachments on drains and nullahs resulting in water-logging.
Pandey confirmed that 399 pumps have been installed at various points of the city to rid residents of water-logging. These pumps will remain installed till the rains get over.
Municipal commissioner Interjit Singh said, “I have directed demolition of all encroachments on the nullahs and drains. It’s better that those who have encroached upon drains, demolish these structures themselves or the LMC will do it and also take demolition charges from them.
“All zonal officers are directed to remain in the field and pick up each and every call made by residents for help. The LMC staff is directed to take special care of elderly people. The Jal Sansthan officials are directed to clean the sewage system so that the sewage does not flow in the open.”
The LMC team is in touch with the health department to check any possibility of spread of epidemics like cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery, fever or vector-borne diseases.
He said that the engineering department will start the campaign of repairing roads which have been damaged or caved in at various places due to the rain.
