Allahabad High Court Halts Demolition in Varanasi's Dalmandi Area Amid Road Widening Dispute:

Suspense crime, Digital Desk : In response to a legal challenge by local residents, the Allahabad High Court has now directed an order to freeze the planned demolition of homes for the road widening near the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi’s Dalmandi area. This decision comes as a respite to nearly 189 families facing displacement due to a road expansion project adjacent to the temple.

Intervening in the Case and Critical Enforcement

A two-judge bench, consisting of Justices Manoj Kumar Gupta and Anish Kumar Gupta, passed the order on May 9, which came as part of the hearing on the plea by Shahnawaz Khan and Others. The court has extended only until May 20 for other stakeholders to submit their responses; through these discussions the state government lawyer has been instructed to submit responses within a week.

Petitioners Raise Questions of Jurisdiction

Petitioners argue that at least legally the Dalmandi road widening project cannot just start with no formal land acquisition. They further add that the government is in the process of preparation of compensation report which does not link with the legal processes towards land acquisition necessary for these kinds of projects. The opposition is also raising the issue of cabinet approval highlighting that no cabinet approval has been sought for the ₹100 crore project.

Project Overview

As part of an effort to ease congestion on access routes to the Kashi Vishwanath temple by clearing the densely populated Dalmandi area, the proposed project entails expanding the road between the New Road and Chowk by 17 meters (56 feet). While the authorities seek to resolve the infrastructure problem, residents are concerned about losing property without proper compensation.

Next Steps

Under the interim court order, affected homeowners are shielded from demolition for the time being. The next court date is set for May 20, where the judge will evaluate the state’s acquisition and compensation plan. For now, work stoppage is indefinite for the Dalmandi area.