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The Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) has identified more than 5,000 residential properties in the Uttar Pradesh capital that are at risk of being sealed or demolished after a survey found they were allegedly being used for commercial purposes without requisite approvals. Notices are set to be issued to the owners, giving them the opportunity to either regularise their buildings in line with the Building Bylaws 2025 or cease unauthorised commercial activity. Roadfront properties on streets of at least 24 metre width are in particular focus, where mixed use is permitted only within defined limits subject to compliance with parking and safety norms. If owners fail to take corrective action, enforcement could follow under the UP Urban Planning and Development Act, 1973, with sealing or demolition likely. The move aims to ease traffic congestion, parking issues and pressure on civic infrastructure that has been attributed to unauthorised commercial operations in predominantly residential areas.
The Lucknow Development Authority has moved to enforce land-use regulations in the city after a private agency conducted a comprehensive survey that revealed widespread unauthorised commercial activity on properties originally allotted for residential use, senior officials said earlier this week. The exercise has flagged 5,103 properties where commercial use is alleged, prompting the authority to prepare notices to property owners under the city's regulatory framework. Advertisement
Under the existing Building Bylaws 2025, residential properties located on roads measuring 24 metres in width or more may be utilised for limited mixed uses such as small clinics, professional offices and coaching centres provided that owners comply with parking requirements and safety norms. Larger commercial enterprises remain prohibited unless separate authorisations are obtained.
Owners of identified properties will be asked to either regularise their buildings in accordance with the bylaws or discontinue commercial operations within a stipulated period after receipt of notices, which the authority expects to issue within the next week. If corrective steps are not taken, officials said, enforcement action under the UP Urban Planning and Development Act, 1973, could include sealing or demolition of non-compliant premises.
The planned crackdown reflects concerns about the impact of unauthorised commercial activity on neighbourhoods, with authorities citing traffic congestion, parking shortages and increased burden on civic services as key drivers of the move. In some cases, properties have reportedly been adapted for uses such as large retail outlets and entertainment venues without formal approval, intensifying pressure on surrounding infrastructure.
LDA officials emphasised that the enforcement drive is designed to restore adherence to land-use norms and ensure orderly development, while noting that limited mixed uses permitted under the bylaws remain available to compliant owners. In parallel, the city has witnessed broader regulatory actions, including demolition of illegal plots and structures in fringe areas by enforcement teams, underscoring sustained efforts to curb unauthorised development.
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