Ek Tha Akbarnagar: UP Locality Razed, Displaced People Struggle to Resume Lives

Over 1900 families have been displaced due to the Akbarnagar demolition drive in Lucknow.

Over 1900 families were displaced after the Akbarnagar demolitions.

(Photo: The Quint)

"₹100 mera kirae mein kharch ho jata hai. Toh mujhe kya mil raha hai, kuchh bhi nahin mil pata hai. Itna bhi nahin mil pata ki apne bacchon ko ek time khila sakein (₹100 is spent on the travel. What I save in the end is not even enough to feed my children one square meal a day)," said Salma, an elderly women who had been living in Akbar Nagar for more than six decades. 

Salma had been living in Akbarnagar for six decades. 

(Photo: The Quint)

At least 1900 families including Salma's, who had been living in Akbarnagar locality along the Kukrail river in Lucknow, have been relocated to Vasant Kunj area on the outskirts of the city. They have been allotted flats under PM Aawaas Yojana. This comes after a massive demolition exercise carried out by the local administration to clear 24.5 acres of land for the redevelopment project along the Kukrail river, now nullah, in the heart of Uttar Pradesh's capital city. 

While some of the people affected are coming to terms with the fact that they have to rebuild their lives from scratch, there are several who are worried about earning a livelihood and living without basic amenities like schools and hospitals at their newly allotted flats. The flats are at the multistoried buildings built under the PM Aawas Yojana in Vasant Kunj.

Raju, who is specially-abled and a father of three, has been allotted a flat on the second floor, making matters difficult for him. To sustain his family, he drives a rented battery rickshaw in Gomtinagar area in the city, at least 20 km from Vasant Kunj, where he has been allotted a flat. 

Raju, who is specially abled, has been allotted a second floor flat. 

(Photo: The Quint)

"I wanted a flat on the ground floor but I was allotted one on second floor. Further, we will need employment opportunities so that we sustain our family. I have to spend at least ₹100 every day to travel to my workplace. The rickshaw owners take another ₹300. I am barely left with anything in the end," Raju said. 

1320 buildings razed to the ground in 6 months

On 18 June 2024, a three-storied structure of a mosque standing in the debris was one of the remaining structures to be demolished in Akbarnagar area. At least three JCB earth movers were deployed since morning for the demolition. Towards the evening, the JCBs had penetrated most of the basement and foundation of the building. Heavy police and paramilitary forces were deployed in the area to tackle any untoward incident. By 8 in the evening, all the major roads and flyovers including the Faizabad road and Shakti Nagar flyover leading to Akbarnagar, were shut for commuters. 

(Photo: The Quint)

(Photo: The Quint)

(Photo: The Quint)

(Photo: The Quint)

Media persons in the area where told to stay at a distance with policemen preventing filming of the demolition. It was assumed the demolition of the religious structure could flare tensions and, as a result, police was taking all precautions at hand. However, that doesn't seem to have been the case as the authorities themselves made footage of the demolition available.

At around 3 in the night on 19 June, the mosque was finally demolished. High definition drone footage of the demolition was put out by the media. As per official data at least 1320 permanent and temporary 'illegal encroachments' were demolished in the administrative action. This also includes four temples, three mosques and two madrassas which had come up in the Akbarnagar area over years. 

In the last leg of the demolition exercise which began after the Lok Sabha election results, 395 buildings were demolished between 10-13 June in Akbarnagar (1). In the second leg of the demolition, Akbarnagar (2) was flattened. This brought an end to the 6-months exercise of clearing 24.5 acres of land in Akbarnagar locality which will now become a part of Kukrail river redevelopment project undertaken by the state government. 

At PM Aawas flats, lack of amenities pose challenge for residents

According to the Lucknow development authority (LDA), 1679 families have been allotted flats under PM Aawas Yojana. While many of them have settled in, there are some families who are struggling to start all over again. As the flats are least 20 kilometers from the main city, commuting poses a major challenge for the residents here. The area also doesn't have basic amenities like hospitals and schools, which has also become a cause of concern for the families who have been shifted. 

It now takes Babloo 1 hour and 15 minutes to commute for work. 

(Photo: The Quint)

Babloo, a plumber by profession has to sustain a family of six. "I commute to Dalibagh for work. That takes me an average of 1 hour 15 minutes one way on bicycle". There are many facing the same problem as Babloo. Not only time but expenses on commuting have also increased.

Annez Bano, in her 60s, had been living with her family in Akbarnagar for decades.

"We were suddenly told that this (Akbarnagar) is Nazul land and we have to vacate it. We invested all our savings in building a house for ourselves. We paid water and electricity bills and house tax. We have documents to corroborate the same".

She is also concerned about the education of her three grand-children. "You are sending us here but there are no schools. This will take a toll on the future of our children." 

(With inputs from Ashhar Asrar)