LUCKNOW: All buildings in Lucknow that are 15 metres or higher will undergo a safety audit. This will include buildings that are more than five years old and will be audited every five years. The decision was made at the LDA board meeting on Friday. Lucknow commissioner Roshan Jacob chaired the meeting with LDA vice-chairman Prathamesh Kumar and other officials.
The decision comes in the wake of the collapse of a three-storey building in Transport Nagar last week which claimed eight lives. The building owner was accused of using substandard material in construction.
LDA secretary Vivek Srivastava said the cost of the audit will be covered by the building owners. For residential buildings, Residents Welfare Associations (RWAs) will bear the cost. If an owner fails to pay, the LDA will initially cover the cost and then seek reimbursement from the builder or RWA.
A private company will conduct audits which are expected to be completed by Oct. The city has over 5,000 buildings which are of 15 metres or more. However, many older, taller commercial buildings in areas like Hazratganj and Aminabad will not be included due to their height being less than 15 metres.
High-rise building development: The LDA has approved the development of high-rise buildings within 500-metre radius along the Shaheed Path, Kisan Path, and the Green Corridor. These areas have been designated as Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) zones. The Floor Area Ratio (FAR) will increase from 2.5 to 4.0 in developed areas and to 5.0 in undeveloped areas. Developers will pay for additional FAR, which will generate revenue for the LDA and support planned growth. The LDA will issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) to select a consultant for preparing the zonal development plan as per the Lucknow Master Plan-2031.
Lease Transfer Proposal: A proposal has been approved for transferring land leased by the Lucknow Improvement Trust. Leaseholders can renew their leases twice, each for 30 years, with a 50% increase in the annual rent after 30-year period. When current lease expires, a proposal will be made to allow transfer of property rights.
Removal of Squatters: Fourteen families illegally occupying land on Rani Lakshmi Bai Marg in Cantonment will be relocated to Basant Kunj and Sharda Nagar Extension under a govt relocation scheme.
Ambedkar Auditorium Management: Preparations are underway to hand over the operation of the Ambedkar auditorium at RML Law University to a private company. LDA plans to charge around Rs 40 lakh per year for this service, though the final rate will be decided by the university’s vice-chancellor. The auditorium comprises a large hall with 2,650 seats, three smaller halls with 350 seats each, and a canteen. After privatisation, the cost of booking the large hall is expected to reach around Rs 4.8 lakh.
New Sub-Centres in Gomtinagar: Two new sub-centres will be established in Gomtinagar, benefiting over two lakh residents. The LDA will provide land to Lesa free of charge for the construction of these sub-centres in Vinram Khand and Vishesh Khand.
Streamlined Building Approvals: A new system will simplify the building approval process by allowing security deposits for solar energy systems, rainwater harvesting, and tree planting to be submitted along with other fees. This change aims to reduce delays and make approval efficient.
Relief for Private Builders from LDA: LDA has decided not to acquire around 296 acres of land from seven builders for the Wellness City project. Initially, the Authority had planned to acquire land from builders who had purchased it from farmers to develop their townships, with compensation provided either in the form of land or monetary compensation. Following this decision, builders expressed dissatisfaction to govt officials, leading to the transfer of former LDA vice-chairman Indramani Tripathi.
