A three-storey commercial building in Lucknow’s Aliganj area, where a devastating fire claimed the lives of 15 people on Monday, had a history of ownership changes and had previously faced demolition proceedings over alleged unauthorised construction, official records have revealed. The disclosure follows the tragic blaze that ripped through the property on Usha Mehta Marg, trapping students at an animation centre and leaving 15 dead and several others injured.
According to official documents, the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) initiated legal action against the building in 2016 regarding alleged unauthorised construction, going so far as to pass a demolition order before subsequently revoking it. Situated in Sector D of the Aliganj scheme, the building stands on a 1,992-square-foot plot for which a residential building plan had originally been approved on August 20, 2014.
However, later in 2016, the development authority filed a case alleging unauthorised construction at the site. Following a series of hearings, the designated authority issued a demolition order on May 10, 2016. The owners challenged this decision, claiming they had not been granted a proper hearing and arguing that the structure complied fully with the approved plan. Following their objections, the demolition order was cancelled on July 5, 2016.
Records show that the property, identified as Building No. MS/102/D in Aliganj Sector D, was originally allotted through a lottery in 1980. In 2005, the property was transferred via a sale deed to Vijay Kumar and Usha. Eight years later, in 2013, it was sold to Virendra Pratap Shukla and Surendra Pratap Shukla. Following this transaction, the LDA formally mutated the property into the names of the new owners on August 7, 2014.
The revelations have emerged from investigations into whether any building codes or fire regulations were broken to help determine why the tragedy was so devastating. Early results from investigations indicate that the fire could possibly have started in an air conditioning duct, releasing dense smoke throughout the entire building. Authorities suspect that the absence of an adequate emergency exit route trapped many of the victims on the upper floors.
Urban Development and Energy Minister AK Sharma stated that all aspects of the incident, including potential lapses in building standards, would be thoroughly investigated and strict action taken against those responsible.
The fire broke out at around 3 pm on Monday in the building, which housed an animation training centre on the upper floors alongside a pet shop and clinic on the lower levels. A massive rescue operation involving 19 fire engines, alongside national and state disaster response forces and civil defence teams, was launched. Rescue personnel were forced to drill openings through adjoining structures to reach those trapped inside.
Also read: Students among 15 killed in Lucknow building fire
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