UP: HC asks PDA chairman to appear before it on Aug 2 in encroachment case

It was not produced at that stage and ever since then before this court. On several occasions, the high court asked the Prayagraj Development Authority PDA to file a copy of the sanction plan of Indira Bhawan, a commercial building of the city, on a PIL alleging encroachment inside the building.According to petitioner, various shop owners had encroached upon areas for ventilation and fire exit.

The Allahabad High Court has asked the chairman of Prayagraj Development Authority to appear before it on August 2 after the authority, despite “repeated opportunities”, failed to produce sanction plan of Indira Bhawan here.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal and Justice JJ Munir passed the order on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Mohammad Irshad alias Guddu, a social worker.

The court observed, ''Despite grant of repeated opportunities for production of sanctioned plan for Indira Bhawan, Prayagraj, the needful has not been done. In fact, the plan was to be produced when the Local Commissioner appointed by this court was to inspect the premises in terms of order dated July 13, 2021. It was not produced at that stage and ever since then before this court.'' On several occasions, the high court asked the Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA) to file a copy of the sanction plan of Indira Bhawan, a commercial building of the city, on a PIL alleging encroachment inside the building.

According to petitioner, various shop owners had encroached upon areas for ventilation and fire exit. In spite of various complaints to the authority, no action was taken against encroachments, he alleged.

Earlier, the PDA had sought more time to file a copy of the sanctioned plan. Its counsel had assured that the cleanliness drive is on, whereas the occupants of the shops encroaching upon the area have been issued notices for removal of their establishments.