Varanasi: Demolition of over 40 buildings will intensify from Saturday to make way for the Dalmandi road widening project, following the purchase of new properties.After the announcement that the demolition drive in Dalmandi would restart on Saturday, TOI checked on the status of building acquisitions on Friday. PWD executive engineer KK Singh said, “Registries for 54 buildings have been completed, and Rs 39 crore has been distributed among 118 shareholders of these properties.”Previous drives covered 62 buildings—some declared dilapidated by the Varanasi Municipal Corporation and others flagged as illegal constructions by the Varanasi Development Authority. During the new drive, the remaining demolition work on those buildings will be completed quickly, in addition to work on the newly purchased properties.The failure in producing documents in support of almost 100 properties is delaying the process of purchase, said officials, mentioning that, series of meetings with same occupants are continuing to solve this issue for the completion of purchase process.To improve access to Kashi Vishwanath Dham’s gate-4 from the Naisadak point on the Lahurabir-Godowlia road, and to shift load from other roads, especially the Maidagin-Godowlia route, the project of Rs 224 crore was launched to convert the 650 metre Dalmandi road into a 17.4 metre-wide road by purchasing or acquiring a total of 187 buildings and razing them.On the eve of restart of demolition drive, heavy police force remained deployed near Gate-4 of Kashi Vishwanath Dham to monitor the entry and exit of Muslims reaching there to offer Friday namaz at Gyanvapi mosque.
