Uttar Pradesh: CM Yogi Adityanath Lays Foundation For 602 Houses In Prayagraj, Hands Over Keys To 556 Beneficiaries

Prayagraj, October 15: Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday performed Bhoomi Pujan for the construction of 602 houses, costing over Rs. 191 crore, under the Padmalok Awas Yojana on 9,811 square meters of land reclaimed from the mafia in Kasari-Masari, Prayagraj. He also distributed keys to beneficiaries of 556 houses constructed in Peeplagaon under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban).

On the occasion, CM stated, “When SP comes to power, it brings mafia and goons, while BJP brings development and change.” He announced that Kasari-Masari would no longer be known by that name and that the entire area would be developed as ‘Shri Krishnapuri’. Houses for the poor would be constructed on land reclaimed from mafia, and a well-planned township would be developed here.

CM stated unequivocally, “No one will dare to indulge in mafia activities in Prayagraj anymore. If anyone does so or gets it done, they should be prepared to be reduced to dust. No goon or mafia can encroach upon anyone’s property. If anyone does so, even the wealth earned by their fathers and grandfathers will be seized.”

After Lukerganj, the government will now also build homes for the poor on land reclaimed from the mafia in Kasari-Masari. Where mafia Atiq Ahmed and his associates once held illegal possession, permanent houses will now be constructed for poor families.

Atiq Ahmed and his goons occupied two and a half hectares of land, equivalent to about 15 bighas, and built a stable there, turning it into a den of indulgence. Government demolished that illegal empire and reclaimed the land. Permanent homes for the poor will now be built on this very land. This is not merely an action to free land from illegal occupation, but also a commitment to use it for the benefit of poor and needy families.

CM stated, “Prayagraj is Teerthraj. It is a land of social equality, sacred land of Bhagwan Akshayvat and a place sanctified by the spiritual practices of Maharishi Bharadwaj. For ages, this land has preserved the significance of pilgrimage and passed it on from generation to generation.

“But there was a time in this very Prayagraj when any land that mafia Atiq and mafia Ashraf set foot on became theirs, while the state government remained silent, surrendering before them. The safety of daughters was under threat here. Waving firearms, mafia members had become synonymous with fear and terror on the streets and in the lanes of Prayagraj. Because of the terror unleashed by mafia, ordinary people felt unsafe. In such an environment, development was impossible, investment could not come in, employment opportunities could not be created for young people and no plan for their bright future could move forward.”

CM stated, “Our government made it clear on the very first day that it would adopt a zero-tolerance policy towards crime and criminals. No criminal would be given any leniency and UP would be made mafia-free. Today, the results of this resolve are visible. Government took action to ensure that mafia, who had once symbolized fear and terror, were punished for their deeds. MLA Raju Pal was shot dead in broad daylight in Prayagraj and then government was seen pleading before these mafia.”

CM said the government had resolved to dismantle the mafia's illegal empires and use the land reclaimed from them for the benefit of the poor. At Lukerganj, a high-rise building has already been built on land reclaimed from the mafia, providing homes to 86 poor families. The residential scheme is now being taken forward in Kasari-Masari as well. Under the plan, the first phase will provide houses to 602 families, and the second phase to 598 families. Thus, approximately 1,200 families will receive permanent homes.

CM stated, “When approximately 1,200 families reside in this residential complex, the population here will exceed 6,000 to 6,500 people. They will not only be provided houses, but a well-planned township will also be developed separately for them. There will be a market, park facilities, space for sports, a gym, and other amenities according to the needs of residents.”

He added, “Providing housing to the poor does not merely mean giving them a roof over their heads. It means creating an environment where children can access better facilities and families can live with dignity. Government is providing housing facilities to every poor person and every individual, irrespective of caste, without discrimination. For the first time since Independence, the UP government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has provided permanent homes to 65 lakh poor people. Poor families in Prayagraj are also being provided with permanent housing facilities.”

CM stated, “During the Maha Kumbh, roads in Prayagraj were widened on a large scale. Roads here are now between seven and 14 meters wide, making travel easier. Government is providing a secure environment so that young people can find employment, proper arrangements can be made for their jobs, the poor can get homes to shelter them and every citizen can benefit from good governance and set new benchmarks for development.”

He added that numerous development projects are underway in Prayagraj for this purpose. The state is spending Rs. 950 crore on a major bridge over the Ganga River in the Sahson area. The construction of Dr. Rajendra Prasad National Law University in the same Assembly constituency is also nearing completion.

CM stated, “Plans for the construction of an ITI in Prayagraj are also being taken forward. This ITI will be named after Maharaja Bijli Pasi. Maharaja Bijli Pasi had built 12 forts in Lucknow and the surrounding areas. During the era of foreign invaders, he staunchly protected Sanatan Dharma. By constructing the ITI in his name, tribute will be paid to his contributions.”

CM stated, “Prayagraj is now connected through better connectivity. An airport has been built here and the Ganga Expressway is reducing the distance between Prayagraj and Meerut and Delhi. Earlier, traveling by car from Prayagraj to Delhi took 10 to 12 hours, but now the journey can be completed in approximately seven hours via the Ganga Expressway. This is the change brought about by the BJP's double-engine government.”

On the occasion, Prayagraj in-charge Minister Swatantra Dev Singh, Industrial Development Minister Nand Gopal Gupta Nandi, Prayagraj West MLA and former minister Siddharth Nath Singh, MP Praveen Patel, Mayor Ganesh Kesarwani, MLAs Harshvardhan Bajpai, Piyush Ranjan Nishad, Deepak Patel and Guru Prasad Maurya, Member of the Legislative Council Surendra Chaudhary, BJP state vice-president and MLA Pooja Pal, and former MP Vinod Sonkar were present.

These beneficiaries received house keys on the stage

- Mamta

- Sindhu Srivastava

- Kanchan Soni

- Basanti Devi

- Nirupam Chakraborty

- Shankarlal Kushwaha

- Priyanka Sonkar

- Lalita Pandey

- Ranjita Sonkar

- Harishankar Mishra

Published on: Thursday, October 15, 2026, 10:15 PM IST