LUCKNOW A road cave-in, allegedly triggered by intensive mining activity, has forced inhabitants of more than half-a-dozen houses to move to safer places with their valuables. The incident, which took place in the wee hours of Tuesday in a narrow lane of Golaganj area of Lucknow, has rendered more than two dozen people homeless.
These people were seen shifting to the houses of their relatives’ or friends’ as the cave-in has shaken the foundations of their own homes. Also, in the wake of the cave-in, their houses have been declared dangerous. Besides those affected directly, about 1,500 others living in the vicinity also fear a similar fate.
Not very far from the affected area is Pt. Birju Maharaj’s ancestral home, which is now a Kathak museum named ‘Kalka-Bindadin ki Dyodhi’. Incidentally, museum staffers continue to work like business as usual despite the cave-in. “We are also fearful as this building can also suffer serious damage,” said Jitendra, one of the staffers.
“We’re really worried and don’t know what exactly to do. We’re shifting to our relatives’ home which is nearby,” said Mohammad Junaid, who had to leave his house along with his wife, children, and an elderly father. Ongoing excavation/digging for the construction of a basement in an upcoming building is believed to have led to the cave-in.
The matter came to light after locals circulated related pictures on social media. They were asked to vacate their houses by the Lucknow police unit on Wednesday morning. The fire team also reached the site to evacuate the people who were still inside the houses. Subsequently, barricades were put up while cops barred the entry of locals. Later in the evening, an FIR was also registered at Wazirganj police station while the accused builder, Raees Ahmad, was arrested.
{{/usCountry}}The matter came to light after locals circulated related pictures on social media. They were asked to vacate their houses by the Lucknow police unit on Wednesday morning. The fire team also reached the site to evacuate the people who were still inside the houses. Subsequently, barricades were put up while cops barred the entry of locals. Later in the evening, an FIR was also registered at Wazirganj police station while the accused builder, Raees Ahmad, was arrested.
{{/usCountry}}Along with the caved-in road, the boundary wall to support the road had also collapsed on Tuesday night following the rain spells. The debris of the support wall still remains of the site. Area residents allege that digging was done illegally and has been going on for a year. “The digging process was stopped once but it resumed six months back. Meanwhile, the rain spells have worsened the situation,” added Junaid.
‘Managed to rescue ourselves in nick of time’
Narrating their ordeal, area residents told HT how panic gripped the area and people were seen running helter-skelter after the road cave-in early in the morning. “I jumped from the first floor when I saw the road slowly caving in. Later, the support wall collapsed. Therefore, I opened the door to rescue my family,” said Junaid.
Another area resident, Mohammad Farhan, said, “We ran to save ourselves soon after the accident. People were screaming at the time. We feared our house would collapse too,” He added, “Now we’re shifting to our neighbours’ house.” Farhan, a student, was living with 5-6 other tenants.
Mining of land beyond permit: FIR
Approximately, 13, 000 sq feet area was dug in around 25-foot-deep space. “According to locals, the digging has been going on for six months now. Despite raising several alarms, the builder did not pay any heed,” said Ekta Agarwal, an area local.
Echoing her view, another resident said, “They dug up 25 feet against the mandate of six feet allowed in residential areas,” said another resident. “We had even gone to the police station to complain to the builders but were confronted by their group,” alleged Junaid.
As per the FIR registered on the complaint of Dinesh Kumar, the mines officer of Lucknow, the key accused Raees Ahmad, a resident of Aminabad, was given permission to mine only 509 cubic metres of land between November 16, 2022, and December 15, 2022. However, in the field investigation survey, it was found that a total of 1,850 cubic metre was mined, which is 134% cubic metre more than the permitted limit.
The accused has been booked under various sections of Uttar Pradesh Minor Minerals (Concession) Rules, 2021, and The Mines and Minerals (Development & Regulations) Act, 1957.
Meanwhile, the Lucknow Development Authority has also got an FIR lodged against realtor Raees Ahmed and his partner Siraj Ahmad for carrying out construction/excavation without approval from the department. The FIR was lodged by zone-six junior engineer Shiv Shankar. The complainant stated that on March 1, 2023, a notice was issued to the realtor. He was asked to appear in connection with the construction work but he did not comply.
“On June 20, another notice was sent to the realtor in which it was mentioned that the hole dug for the construction must be filled soon as it poses a threat to the nearby dwellers,” said the JE in his FIR to the police. However, on July 5, the heavy downpour created a scare and threat to dwellers. Following this, an FIR was registered. Additional DCP, West Zone, Chiranjeev Sinha, said that an FIR has been lodged under IPC sections 288 (negligent conduct with respect to pulling down or repairing buildings) and 291 (continuance of nuisance)