Lucknow Targets Unsafe And Illegal Land Schemes

Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) has intensified its clampdown on unapproved land development across the city, clearing more than 100 bighas of illegal layouts and sealing two unauthorised buildings in separate enforcement drives. The action, spanning Kakori, Mall, Dubagga, and Gosainganj, is part of a broader push to curb unregulated construction that threatens planned urban growth and long-term liveability.

Officials said the largest operation took place in the Kakori belt, where enforcement teams removed six illegally carved layouts spread across approximately 53 bighas. The sites, located in Shivri, Khadaint, Ghurghuri Talab, and Pankheda villages, had been subdivided without any approved map or infrastructure plan. A senior enforcement officer said the plots were being marketed without basic amenities such as road access, drainage planning, or safety approvals, potentially exposing future buyers to financial and environmental risk. Heavy machinery was deployed to dismantle boundary walls and site-level structures. A similar intervention followed in the Mall and Dubagga pockets, where five unauthorised plot clusters covering about 50 bighas were demolished. According to LDA officials, several individuals had created and sold subplots in violation of land-use rules. “Unregulated plotting often leads to unsafe habitation patterns, poor waste management, and unequal access to civic services,” an urban planner familiar with the monitoring process said. “Cities aiming for sustainable and equitable growth cannot afford such fragmented development.”

Beyond plotting, the authority also cracked down on illegal buildings that had progressed without sanction. In Hariharpur’s Friends Colony, a residential structure of around 250 square metres was found under construction without a permitted building plan. Another case in Pahad Nagar Tikriya involved an unauthorised 100-square-metre commercial structure. Both properties were sealed on-site. Officials added that such constructions frequently bypass fire-safety requirements, structural norms, and environmental clearances, creating long-term hazards for occupants and neighbours. Urban development experts note that the latest enforcement aligns with Lucknow’s wider objective of building a more resilient and inclusive city. Rapid peri-urban growth has created pressure on land markets, often encouraging informal real estate activity. While these developments may appear affordable initially, they tend to strain public infrastructure and deepen inequalities, especially in areas lacking water supply, mobility access, and waste systems.

The LDA’s continuing action signals a shift toward stricter regulation to maintain orderly expansion in one of Uttar Pradesh’s fastest-growing urban centres. For residents, the move may reduce the risk of fraudulent land transactions and unsafe construction, while encouraging adherence to transparent planning norms. Officials indicated that more monitoring will follow, with an emphasis on preventing further illegal subdivision of agricultural or peri-urban land. As cities like Lucknow expand, authorities face the challenge of balancing growth with sustainability and equity. The recent demolition drive underscores the importance of ensuring that new neighbourhoods evolve within a regulated framework supporting safer housing, climate-resilient planning, and fairer access to urban services.

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Lucknow Targets Unsafe And Illegal Land Schemes