LUCKNOW: The Lucknow bench of
Allahabad high court on Saturday stayed all construction on the four properties owned by Samajwadi Party,
Janeshwar Mishra Trust and formerUP CM Akhilesh Yadav’s family, on the high security Vikramaditya Marg in Hazratganj.
The stay covers the plot on a heritage hotel was proposed. The court directed the authorities to photograph the construction sites on these plots within 24 hours and furnish report on next hearing. It further issued notices to SP,
Akhilesh Yadav, Dimple Yadav, Mulayam Singh Yadav and Janeshwar Mishra Trust seeking their replies on September 5.
The properties include plot number 19-A Vikramaditya Marg; Khasra number 8-D, Mohalla Ramna Dilkusha (Vikramaditya Marg); Nazul land khasra number 8C, Mohalla Ramna, Dilkusha (now, 1-A, Vikramaditya Marg); and house number 7, Type-VI, Bandariya Bagh. A bench of Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Abdul Moin passed the order on a PIL moved by a local lawyer Shishir Chaturvedi.
Considering public interest in the matter and the fact that such PILs are often withdrawn for various reasons, the court discharged the petitioner and decided to take up the issue suo motu.
On the petitioner’s complaint of receiving threats since the petition’s filing, the court directed principal secretary, home and DGP to provide security to him, his family and properties if required.
Land use is being changed for vested interests, says HC
The court observed, “The newspapers are repeatedly publishing news that the high security zone/VIP zone in and around Kalidas Marg, Vikramaditya Marg and Gautampalli is being compromised as illegal construction activities are going on without sanction of state government and without due approval of building plans from Lucknow Development Authority, the land use of certain bungalows is being changed for vested interests and to set up party office/s. The party leaders are requesting to build hotels in
VIP zone and some multistorey building is coming up against the permitted height of construction in the zone, for which as per the sweet will of the prevailing governance, the norms are being changed for no good or sound reasoning. This VIP zone caters to the residences of chief minister, chief secretary, chairman, board of revenue, judges of the high court, cabinet ministers, ministers and very senior IAS officers. If such activities are permitted in this VIP zone, apparently it cannot be said that it would be safe and secure nor would the life of the residents of the area be peaceful.”
It was contended that in case of Khasra number 8-D, an application was moved for changing the land use from residential to office without assigning any reason and whether it served any public purpose. The land use was changed to office without considering the provisions of Section 13 of UP urban planning and development Act, 1973. Likewise, for Khasra number 8-C, now known as 2, Vikramaditya Marg, an application was moved in 2016 for change of land use from residential to official. The prescribed height of buildings for the zone was also enhanced to 12 metre.
The court found that construction is still going on at Khasra number 8-D though LDA sanctioned building plan for office complex on January 16, 2007, and the permission was valid only till January 15, 2012.
Similarly, the construction at Khasra number 8-C, purportedly of a heritage hotel, is violating the master plan and zonal development plan prepared by estate authorities and jeopardizes the safety and security of VIP zone. An official spokesman of Akhilesh Yadav said on Saturday evening that the ongoing construction at Vikramaditya Marg is not new but is renovation of an old house and added that the former CM had vacated the government bungalow and was renovating the old house as he planned to move in it.
Representative image 
