Lucknow, July 15: In Uttar Pradesh, a strict zero-tolerance policy is being enforced against illegal constructions and violations of land use regulations. As part of this initiative, the Rampur Development Authority (RDA) has issued a demolition order for buildings constructed without approved plans at the Mohammad Ali Jauhar University campus. This action is taken under Section 27(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Urban Planning and Development Act, 1973.
Following a detailed hearing and examination of documents, 38 buildings within the university campus have been categorized as illegal constructions, leading to the demolition orders.
Ajay Kumar Dwivedi, the District Magistrate of Rampur, stated that continuous actions are being taken against illegal constructions in the district. An investigation into the university’s construction was initiated based on a report from the regional assistant engineer. Subsequently, the university management was issued a notice to present its case. The university administration submitted its response on July 8, and a personal hearing took place on July 15, attended by officials and lawyers from both the university and the development authority.
During the hearing, the university argued that the village of Singankheda, where the university is located, was not included in the Rampur Development Authority’s development area before September 27, 2024. Therefore, they claimed that obtaining approval from the development authority was unnecessary. The university also asserted that the constructions were completed long ago and should not be deemed illegal under current regulations. However, the Rampur Development Authority did not accept these arguments.
The order stated that even though Singankheda was later included in the development area, obtaining approval from the competent authority was mandatory at the time of construction. Records obtained from the District Panchayat Rampur revealed that only the medical college building and the academic block had approved plans, while no valid approvals were available for the remaining 38 buildings.
According to DM Ajay Kumar Dwivedi, the Rampur Development Authority’s order also noted that the university management was aware of the necessity for approvals, as they had obtained permission for two buildings from the District Panchayat. Despite this, other buildings were constructed without approval. The authority deemed this a violation of regulations and stated that action could be taken against such constructions under Section 59 of the Uttar Pradesh Urban Planning and Development Act, even if the area was later included within the development authority’s limits.
The demolition order also thoroughly examined various legal arguments presented by the university, referencing the master plan, zonal plan, and different provisions of the act. The authority concluded that these provisions had been misinterpreted, and thus the constructions could not be considered valid. The order clarified that the legality of any construction is based on the approval obtained from the competent authority according to the laws in effect at the time of construction.
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