LUCKNOW, July 5, 2013: Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav will have to sort out a tricky issue before the construction of a new Secretariat building on Vidhan Sabha Marg begins. This pertains to the mazaar of Pehelwaan Baba. It's not known when this 'mazaar' sprang up under a tree on a big triangular plot where the new office of CM is proposed to come up. Despite this plan, some locals have started construction of mazaar and related renovation works in full swing.

Tiles are being laid around the mazaar by these locals who claim that the shrine was constructed "long ago" in the memory of a "fakir" called Pehelwaan Shah Baba. Authorities though have no clue when the said spot became a revered place in the name of a 'baba'. Though municipal commissioner RK Singh said they are not allowing such places of worship to come up on municipal land, sources said the plot essentially belongs to the estate department which is yet to act tough. Sources said a government order of 2009, issued after a Supreme Court ruling that banned further construction of religious places on government land, had directed various departments to nominate nodal officers to ensure that SC order was implemented in the letter and spirit.

But that order appears to have been forgotten as there is no dearth of such illegal shrines in the city. Take for instance Rana Pratap Marg. Here two temples, separated by a distance of few metres, have come up under two peepal trees. Bang opposite a hotel on the busy road, the temples (one of them dedicated to Lord Shiva), have the banners seeking generous donations from people for their construction. "Mahadev aapka saparivaar kalyaan karenge (Shiva will shower blessings on you and your family)," reads one banner.

Municipal officials said the road belongs to the public works department (PWD) which is primarily responsible for any such encroachments. LMC chief engineer Tarun Sharma said PWD along with the LMC will have to take the initiative in removing such encroachments.

No wonder, many such shrines are emerging across the city. Another example of such encroachment is the Hanuman temple outside the mini-Secretariat (Bapu Bhawan), right under the nose of authorities. Whether officials sitting in Bapu Bhawan show reverence to this place of worship or not, many commuters do not forget to do so. Not surprisingly, a makeshift sweetmeat shop (ostensibly selling 'prasad') has come up close to the banyan tree underneath which an idol of Lord Hanuman has been neatly placed. And to add to it all, the stalls here too tend to stretch enough to block the main road.

Also in the net of controversy are the temples within the premises of GPO. Here, two temples - both of Lord Hanuman - have been raised.

Source: The Times of India, DT. July 5, 2013.