LUCKNOW, Aug. 6 -- The Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) began preparations to crack down on 51 illegal commercial buildings in the Aliganj area of the state capital after the Supreme Court pulled up the authority over illegal constructions and sought a status report on the action taken in the cases on Wednesday.

The court also took serious note of the June 22 fire at an illegal commercial complex built on a residential plot in Aliganj's Sector D, which killed 15 people and injured nine others.

The proposed enforcement drive follows the court's sharp observations during the hearing of the Loknathan vs State of Tamil Nadu, in which it expressed concern over illegal constructions in Lucknow and other metropolitan cities.

According to L...