Lucknow Building Fire: Demolition Order Issued, Revoked in 2 Months
A tragic fire in a three-storey commercial building in Lucknow's Aliganj area has claimed 15 lives, prompting questions about the building's legal history. The Uttar Pradesh government revealed late Monday that the building had been issued a demolition order in 2016 over unauthorised construction, but the order was revoked less than two months later.
The building, located in Sector D of the upscale Aliganj Scheme locality, was originally allotted to Vijay Kumar under a hire-purchase scheme in 1980. After several ownership changes, the property was registered to Virendra Pratap Shukla and Surendra Pratap Shukla in 2013. The Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) approved a residential building plan for the property in 2014 under a self-certification scheme.
However, unauthorised construction was later discovered. The LDA issued a demolition order on May 10, 2016. But on July 5, 2016, the order was revoked, raising concerns about the circumstances of the reversal. The building housed an animation centre, a pet clinic, and other establishments.
The fire broke out around 3 pm, trapping several students on the second floor. Fourteen fire tenders, including a hydraulic platform vehicle, were deployed to control the blaze. Seven people were injured. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
