Civil Lines beautification project in limbo

NEARLY THREE years have passed since the beautification project for Civil Lines was initiated,yet the project is far from over due to laxity shown by the ADA Nagar Nigam.

NEARLY THREE years have passed since the beautification project for Civil Lines was initiated,yet the project is far from over due to laxity shown by the ADA Nagar Nigam.

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It may be recalled that the Allahabad High Court has directed the Allahabad Development Authority, the Nagar Nigam and the district administration to beautify the Civil Lines by widening the roads and developing parking slots.

The ADA started the work on warfooting in 2004 but after developing one lane from St Cathedral Church to Subhash Chandra Bose's statue, the work has been left mid-way. Major hurdle, according to sources, is removal of about 42 legal and fifty illegal shops on the roadside so that work may be started once again in Civil Lines.

The then divisional commissioner Dr Lalit Verma along with district magistrate and senior officials of ANN and ADA had inspected the Civil Lines area eight months back. He had also issued certain instructions but the work could not be restarted.

Senior ADA officials, on the condition of anonymity, told the HT Live that main hurdle in carrying out the project was to launch a demolition drive of at least 70 small shops on the MG Marg.

Besides, the NN and ADA officials are upset due to political intervention in the matter.

Now, the ADA board has included this project in Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission Project. Ironically, a sum of Rs 65 lakh has already been spent on the beautification project but the things are still not satisfactory.