Varanasi: Bulldozers and earth-moving machines intensified demolition of the purchased buildings on Sunday. Police tightened security on Dalmandi street and worked to clear crowds, especially near Naisadak, to keep traffic flowing.Leading the police and central armed forces team securing the PWD and district administration during demolition, ACP Dashaswamedh Atul Anjan Tripathi said the PWD team had a list of around 45 buildings. On Sunday, he said, demolition at those 25 buildings was completed, and announcements were made to start work on the remaining 20.Before accelerating the pace of demolition of purchased buildings, PWD had finalised a list of 45, including 15 newly purchased buildings. Demolition of 60 buildings had already been completed.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.According to PWD officials, the process of registry for the purchase of 54 buildings has been completed so far. Rs 39 crore had been distributed among 118 shareholders of these purchased buildings. Demolition of 62 buildings, including those declared dilapidated by Varanasi Municipal Corporation and illegal constructions detected by the Varanasi Development Authority had been done before the drive was re-intensified from Saturday.
