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Massive demolition drive underway in Lucknow's Kukrail riverbed | VIDEO
Following a court order, the drive began in Akbarnagar I and II to demolish 1,068 illegal residential and 101 commercial structures.
A major demolition drive is currently underway in the Kukrail riverbed area of Lucknow as part of an extensive effort to rejuvenate the Kukrail River and develop the area similar to the Sabarmati Riverfront in Ahmedabad. The drone footage of the demolition drive shows bulldozers dismantling illegal constructions along the riverbed.
The demolition initiative, which began on Monday, targets 1,068 illegal residential structures and 101 commercial buildings in the Akbarnagar I and II areas, following a court order mandating the clearance.
Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) vice-president Indramani Tripathi, in a statement to PTI earlier this week, mentioned that residents had been informed and asked to vacate the blocks and relocate to a new area in Vasant Kunj.
"For the past two days, we have been appealing to shift their belongings and move to their new apartment in Vasant Kunj. I personally went there and requested people. Most of them have shifted," Tripathi said.
"We are moving them and demolition is underway on the empty blocks," he added.
Security forces have been deployed to maintain order, and the entire area is under constant CCTV surveillance to ensure the demolition proceeds smoothly and safely.
Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, in a meeting on Thursday, instructed officials to immediately remove encroachments on the banks of rivers and ponds across the states.
"There are encroachments on the banks of Ramganga river in Moradabad. A similar situation can be seen in Kashi, Saharanpur and other districts," the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) said in a post on X quoting Adityanath.
"At present, efforts are being made for the revival of the Kukrail river in Lucknow. Illegal settlements have been removed and (their residents have been) rehabilitated elsewhere. Similarly, work should be done in other districts as per local requirements," he said.
The chief minister asked the officials to ensure there are no settlements in the river basin.
"Old ponds, ponds and other water bodies should be preserved. If there are any encroachments, they should be removed immediately," he said.
