HC to LDA: Enlist all multi-storey buildings flouting norms

Lucknow: The Lucknow Bench of Allahbad High Court has directed the Lucknow Development Authority to identify all commercial and other multi-storey buildings constructed in the city capital without providing proper parking spaces and fire safety measures and furnish the list on or before November 19.
The bench further directed the LDA to stop all construction activities being undertaken in its development area in violation of the master plan, sanctioned map and bylaws and take action against defaulters.
While asking LDA to apprise it of requirements to be completed before issuance of the ‘Completion Certificate’, the bench directed the authority to place before it the relevant bylaws and provisions on next date. The bench also summoned the officiating LDA VC Ashtabhuja Prasad Tiwari on next date with the entire information.
The orders came from a division bench of justices Krishna Murari and Rakesh Srivastava on a writ petition moved by one Sandeep Saxena. The petitioner alleged he had paid off the entire amount for a plot in Gomti Nagar Extention area but the LDA had not delivered the possession of the plot till date.
The bench had expressed deep concern on last hearing saying many other matters of similar nature were coming to its notice and taking a lot of the court’s valuable time. It had observed that once the LDA had accepted the entire amount, there was no occasion to delay registry or possession of the plot or flat. It has summoned the LDA VC.
In compliance of the HC order, the officiating VC appeared in person before the bench and informed it that he had constituted a committee to look into such matters. The committee would also set responsibility of the erring officials whose inaction delayed the registry or possession within time and accordingly action be taken against him.
The officiating VC further intimated the bench that he had directed the chief engineers, superintendents and zonal engineers to check illegal constructions in the city.
The bench appreciated the steps taken by Tiwari, but asked him to give details of constitution, composition and nature of the committee as well as the mechanism and procedure to deal with the complaints.