Team Clarion
LUCKNOW – The demolition drive in Muslim-majority Akbar Nagar in the capital city of Uttar Pradesh, continued for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday, leaving a trail of destruction and displacement. Almost all houses in Akbar Nagar II have been demolished, with huge piles of debris and abandoned religious sites now marking the landscape.
Over 400 houses have been razed, while the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) claims that around 800 flats have been allocated under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PM Housing Scheme) for the resettlement of affected residents. However, residents have raised serious concerns about the conditions of the allotted flats.
The displaced residents’ complaints about electricity and water shortages, as well as incomplete construction, have cast a shadow over the resettlement process. The urgency of the LDA’s demolition operations has been questioned, given the inadequacies in the provided accommodations.
Mala, a displaced resident, stated: “There is no electricity in the flat, and there is also a water problem. When you complain, the officers rush from here to there.” Another resident echoed these grievances, highlighting the incomplete state of the flats: “The flats are incomplete. There are cracks in the bathroom and toilets, and other works are also incomplete. Why is the LDA in such a hurry? They displaced us from here, and there are no basic facilities where we are asked to go. The houses are also very small and inadequate.”
The demolition is part of a broader redevelopment plan resembling a riverfront renovation, necessitating the clearance of existing settlements.
