UP CM Yogi Adityanath hands over 76 flats built on Atiq Ahmed's seized land

As part of his visit, the Chief Minister also inspected the flats before handing them over to the beneficiaries

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday inaugurated housing units in Prayagraj, which were constructed on the land confiscated from gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed, who was killed in April this year.

Around 76 flats were built under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) in the Lukarganj area. The allocation of these flats was done through a lottery system, which took place on June 9.

“The lottery was drawn for allotment in the auditorium of Allahabad Medical Association. After verification of 6,030 applicants, 1,590 were found eligible to participate in the lottery," said Arvind Kumar Chauhan, vice chairman of Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA).

The beneficiaries of these flats will receive a housing unit covering an area of approximately 441 square foot for Rs 3.5 lakh.

Prior to the flat handover, Adityanath also interacted with the attendees of the event and handed out chocolates to their children.

According to one of the workers, extensive preparations had been underway for the past 10 days in anticipation of the chief minister's visit to inaugurate the housing units.

In a video shared by the news agency ANI, the footage showcased the interior of the flats. As one enters the house, the name of the allotted person is visibly displayed. Inside, the flats consist of two rooms, a basic kitchen setup, and a bathroom.

Another video showed the chief minister inspecting the flats following the inauguration.

Before the inauguration, the buildings were adorned with decorations and strict security measures were put in place for the event. A board with the inscription “Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana” could be seen at the entrance of the flats.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath initiated this housing project by laying the foundation stone on a 1731-square-meter plot of land in the Lukerganj area of Prayagraj on December 26, 2021.

Under the PMAY, the District Urban Development Authorities (DUDA) undertook this project, resulting in the construction of 76 flats divided into two blocks, as confirmed by officials.

The construction took place on the confiscated land, which was previously owned by Atiq Ahmed, who faced charges related to the 2005 murder of Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA Raju Pal and the subsequent killing of a key witness, Umesh Pal, in February of the same year.

Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf Ahmed were fatally shot by individuals posing as journalists on the night of April 15 while they were being transported for a medical examination in Prayagraj.