LMC moves to remove encroachers near Awadh Crossing

A day after Hindustan Times reported the extent of encroachments near Awadh Crossing, Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) swung into action by announcing an anti-encroachment drive on the stretch between the intersection and Vikram Nagar here on Saturday.
As part of the drive, vendors were asked to remove their illegal establishments latest by Tuesday and make way for a long-awaited underpass, officials confirmed. The ₹121.09-crore underpass, to be constructed by Uttar Pradesh State Bridge Corporation (UPSBC) and proposed to span over 887 metres, is expected to significantly reduce traffic jams at the intersection linking Hardoi Road, Kanpur Road, and the Lucknow airport route.
LMC Zone 5 in-charge Nand Kishore said he went to the site with his team and made announcements through a public address system asking the encroachers to remove their structures by Tuesday. He warned them of legal action if they failed to comply with the official order.
LMC officials asked roadside vendors, where the underpass is to be constructed, to relocate their businesses as the project had faced delays due to the encroachments on the roads.
Ashok Kumar Singh, additional deputy commissioner of police (Traffic), had said that the traffic department would finalise diversion plans after the encroachments were removed. He noted that illegal structures along the road from Hardoi Road towards Awadh Crossing had narrowed the road, complicating efforts to develop a diversion plan.
Officials said that the first phase of construction, which involved traffic diversions and extensive work, would take at least six months.
The underpass, with its 350-meter box section and 537.36-meter ramp, is expected to improve the flow of traffic significantly once completed, providing a smoother route for commuters.