The UP government, in compliance with an HC order, has ordered removal of all religious structures that encroach on roads, lanes, footpaths or national and state highways.
As per a home department order issued on Tuesday, all such constructions which have taken place after January 1, 2011 should be removed immediately. Those constructed before the date have been given six months for a planned removal. “The management of such structures and the followers of the religion they belong to should plan to shift them to their private land within six months,” the order says.
UP order says ensure religious activities don’t disrupt traffic
The home department officials said that all the divisional commissioners, police commissioners of Lucknow, Noida, district magistrates and superintendents of police were issued an order on Tuesday night to identify and remove all encroachments.
The order also said that a plan should be made to ensure that there was no obstruction in traffic or public movement due to religious activities on public roads (including highways), streets, footpaths and lanes.
It also stated in the instructions that if there was any deviation or disobedience then the officials concerned would be held responsible for it. “Flouting of these orders will be considered as contempt of the high court,” said a home department official.
In its 2016 order, the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court had asked the state government “to ensure that no religious structure in any form whatsoever shall be allowed or permitted to be raised on public roads, including highways, streets, pathways and lanes, and warned that any violation will be considered as criminal contempt by administration and police officials”.