Dalmandi widening: Several booked as demolition continues

Varanasi: After booking two identified and many unidentified persons on charges of obstructing govt work, the joint team of the district administration, PWD and VMC reached Dalmandi area on Tuesday to carry forward the demolition of buildings for the road-widening project.However, officials stopped media entry, citing security and safety concerns. Among the persons booked was Azmat Ali, who set the balcony of his house on fire on Monday.
ACP Atul Anjan Tripathi said that Azmat, Farooq and some unidentified persons were booked under Section 221 of BNS and Section 7 of Criminal Law Amendment Act for indulging in arson and protest during the demolition drive on Monday.A high-voltage drama unfolded on Monday as a joint team of PWD, VMC, and the district administration arrived with six bulldozers to start demolishing 21 dilapidated buildings, sparking tensions and protests. As officials approached Rahmat Ali's building in Dalmandi, he appeared on the balcony with a mug of petrol, threatening to set the house ablaze. Despite attempts to calm him, he sprinkled fuel on the balcony, wooden door, and nearby people, and set it on fire. Farooq also opposed the demolition action, terming it illegal. It took almost half an hour to bring the situation under control near Ali's house, after which demolition work started.Last week, VMC had also served notices to the owners of 21 dilapidated buildings in Dalmandi, asking them to vacate within three days for demolition. After the end of work on Tuesday evening, PWD executive engineer KK Singh said major demolition work continued at 20 buildings, which were declared dilapidated by VMC. Remaining work and removal of debris from the already razed 16 buildings, and the partially demolished 14 buildings, also continued peacefully, he said. Before entering Dalmandi with police, PAC, and central paramilitary forces, Tripathi said demolition work in the congested lanes posed an injury risk without safety gear. Media was advised to avoid the area, with daily briefings arranged instead. Police also displayed a printed advisory for media at each entry point, including Chowk and Naisadak. The area is being monitored by drone cameras. A Rs 224-crore project aims to widen Dalmandi road to 17.4 metres, improving access to Kashi Vishwanath Dham's gate-4 and reducing traffic on other routes like Maidagin-Godowlia. The project involves acquiring and demolishing 187 buildings along the 650-metre stretch.