The Uttar Pradesh government has cleared the Kukrail River area in Lucknow, which housed the Akbarnagar locality, known for illegal constructions and encroachments.

With the demolition of the last building in the Akbarnagar locality on Wednesday, this area has been buried in the pages of history. The Yogi Adityanath government plans to develop this region into an eco-tourism hub.

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The government has prepared a comprehensive road map to develop the area by means of developing a riverfront and introducing the country’s first night safari whose implementation is set to commence soon.

The Yogi administration, supported by a Supreme Court order, had observed that the river had been reduced to a drain due to encroachments and illegal constructions by land mafias as well as Rohingya and Bangladeshi infiltrators.

All illegal houses and large commercial establishments built on the encroached land have been demolished.

The Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) completed its action by demolishing the last four-storey building early Wednesday morning. With the operation that began on June 10 now concluded, the Yogi government will shift its focus to the overall development of the area.

Due to collusion between previous governments and land mafias, illegal constructions were erected on the land near the Kukrail River.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath addressed this issue upon assuming office. A government-ordered survey revealed extensive illicit construction on the river land, prompting the CM to initiate a demolition campaign.

This campaign, which began in December 2023 before the Lok Sabha elections, continued uninterrupted even after the elections and concluded with the demolition of the last building on June 19 morning.

During this period, the Yogi administration demolished 1,169 illegal houses and 101 commercial structures. Over 1,800 illegal constructions on approximately 24.5 acres of land were removed, highlighting the comprehensive nature of the campaign.

To revive the Kukrail River, CM Yogi pursued legal action from the High Court to the Supreme Court, which upheld the government’s actions.

Following the clearance of the Kukrail River area, plans are now in place to develop a riverfront. The development will begin from Dashauli village near Bakshi Ka Talab, considered the river’s origin. It will also include beautifying the area by interlinking all the ponds.

Additionally, various projects under the Department of Urban Development will take shape here. Multiple departments have been assigned to develop this area, and the layout plans are being prepared. These plans will be announced soon after receiving approval from CM Yogi.

Simultaneously, the Yogi government is transforming the Kukrail forest area into an eco-tourism hub that features the country’s first night safari.

The Kukrail Night Safari Park will feature themed areas such as the Indian Walking Trail, Indian Foothill, Indian Wetland, Arid India, and African Wetland, which will be the main attractions.

The night safari will feature 54 species of animals in 42 enclosures. Visitors can explore the park using a 5.5-km tramway and a 1.92-km pathway.

The safari will showcase various animals, including the Asiatic lion, crocodile, Bengal tiger, flying squirrel, leopard, and hyena. Beautiful parks will be developed on both sides of the Kukrail River, with adventure activities also available.