Lucknow, Jul 31 (PTI) The Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) has issued a notice to the owners of the illegal commercial building in Aliganj, where a fire claimed 15 lives on June 22, seeking to recover the Rs 26.14-lakh cost incurred in demolishing the unauthorised structure, an official said on Friday.
The recovery notice of Rs 26,14,212 has been sent to building owners including Virendra Prasad Shukla and Surendra Shukla, after the LDA demolished illegal portions of the structure on July 25 in compliance with a court order, the official told PTI.
According to the official, “the amount includes expenses incurred on the demolition drive, such as labour charges, deployment of machinery, fuel and maintenance costs, transportation of equipment, and security arrangements provided by the police, for which the authority bears the expenditure”.
The building, located in Sector D of Aliganj under the LDA’s Enforcement Zone-4, had been constructed as a residential structure but was allegedly converted into a commercial establishment through unauthorised construction.
The official said on instructions of LDA vice chairman Prathamesh Kumar, the owners had earlier been served a notice directing them to demolish the illegal portions of the building within 15 days and restore it in accordance with the sanctioned building plan.
The notice had also warned that if the LDA carried out the demolition, the entire cost of the exercise would be recovered from the owners.
“As the owners failed to comply, the authority had to undertake the demolition. Recovery of demolition expenses from building owners is provided for under LDA rules and is not being done for the first time,” the official said.
The demolition of the four-storey building began on July 25 after the LDA found that large portions of the structure had been illegally constructed and the premises had been converted from residential to commercial use in violation of sanctioned plans and mandatory setback norms.
The LDA had issued a notice to the owners on June 23 under the Uttar Pradesh Urban Planning and Development Act, 1973. Following hearings, the construction was declared illegal, and demolition was ordered by July 25.
A massive fire broke out in an office operating from the second floor of the building on June 22, killing 15 people trapped inside, while five others escaped by climbing down pipes and electric wires.
The incident triggered multiple investigations into alleged violations of building and fire safety norms. Police have arrested four people, including building owner Virendra Prasad Shukla and the operator of the animation centre functioning from the premises.
The Uttar Pradesh government has also suspended four officials from the electricity department, fire department and the LDA in connection with the tragedy. PTI KIS ARB ARB
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