LUCKNOW, July 20 -- The owners of the illegal commercial complex in Aliganj's Sector D, where a fire claimed 15 lives on June 22, began dismantling the unauthorised structure on Monday after the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) ordered its removal. The demolition started days before the July 25 deadline set by the authority.

The LDA declared the commercial building at plot number MS-102 illegal after finding it was constructed in violation of approved land-use norms. LDA secretary Vivek Srivastava said the authority issued a notice under Section 27(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Urban Planning and Development Act on June 23 to Virendra Shukla, Surendra Shukla and others, directing them to produce documents supporting the legality of the cons...