Varanasi: Amid three building owners obtaining a stay order from the high court against demolition under the ongoing Dalmandi road widening project, the Public Works Department (PWD) razed 13 other buildings and removed debris simultaneously on Sunday.
Demolition Drive Under Surveillance
Monitoring the demolition work amidst tight security arrangements, PWD Executive Engineer K K Singh and ACP (Dashaswamedh) Atul Anjan Tripathi stated that the demolition was intensified under drone camera surveillance. Thirteen buildings, including eight recently acquired by PWD and five that had received notices from the Varanasi Municipal Corporation, were brought down by bulldozers and earth-moving machines.
Total Razed Buildings Near 150
The total number of buildings razed under the drive has now reached close to 150. A total of 187 buildings are demarcated for demolition for the Rs 224-crore project, which aims to convert the 650-meter Dalmandi road into a 17.4-meter-wide road after removing all 187 structures.
Benefits of the Widened Road
A widened Dalmandi will improve access to Kashi Vishwanath Dham’s Gate 4 from the Naisadak point on the Lahurabir-Godowlia road. This will shift the load of commuters from other roads, especially the Maidagin-Godowlia route leading to the shrine area.
High Court Order and Continued Drive
After the high court order on Saturday brought relief to owners of three buildings and directed authorities to maintain status quo until the next hearing, all eyes are on the agencies executing the project. However, the demolition drive continued at an accelerated pace.
