LUCKNOW: Even as Lucknow Development Authority on Thursday ordered a fresh survey of all commercial buildings with a carpet area less than 1,000 sq ft and lacking map approval in the Naka area, a similar exercise by the authority in 2018 yielded no results.
A 2018 LDA survey identified 250 such buildings in the area, and demolition orders were issued several times after a fire at two hotels claimed four lives.
Despite these orders, no steps were taken regarding these buildings.
According to LDA officials, legal complications and delays at government and court levels prevented their implementation.
Following two building collapses in Naka Hindola on Wednesday, the survey, ordered by LDA vice chairman Indramani Tripathi, aims to address the issue of illegal and potentially unsafe constructions exploiting a loophole in the standing LDA rule regarding map approvals in the Old City area.
As per the rule, residential buildings under 1,000 sq ft in this zone don’t require map approval. However, some individuals have misused this rule by constructing small structures and then illegally converting them into commercial establishments like hotels, laundromats, and restaurants.
The new survey, led by LDA secretary Gyanendra Verma and a two-member committee, will be completed within 15 days and presented to the LDA board, informing potential rule changes based on the findings.
Additionally, the LDA plans to submit recommendations to relevant courts and commissions, highlighting the potential public threat posed by these unregulated commercial buildings.
Meanwhile, LDA VC said they have intensified efforts to clear debris from the collapsed buildings in Naka Hindola to restore smooth traffic flow. An FIR has been filed against the building owner, and four teams have been deployed to sanitize the affected area. “We are enforci’ng building regulations and addressing loopholes that can be exploited for illegal construction,” he said.
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