Demolition’s Devastation: Akbar Nagar Children Lose Homes, Hope and Education

Vasant Kunj (Lukhnow): “Chahte the bahut kuch karna, par sare sapne hi tod diye, kya karein ab? (I wanted to achieve so much, but all my dreams have been shattered. Now, what can I do?),” 10-year-old Mohammad Shahid commented while wandering the streets of Vasant Kunj in the heated afternoon. His face turned pale when asked about his studies.

“I was a bright student at Iram Public School. My education was discontinued when we moved to Vasant Kunj after the demolition of our home in Akbar Nagar. The school was close by and had Diwali and Independence Day programs, things that can’t happen anymore. What will I become without studies?”

Several children in Vasant Kunj of Lucknow share similar stories of heartache. With their homes demolished, they have not only lost their shelter but also their education leaving their dreams shattered. They complained about no schools in their new locality.

The Lucknow Development Authority in June demolished 1800 buildings including 1,169 houses and 101 commercial establishments in Akbar Nagar locality, displacing approx 12000 population including children, women and elderly. Akbar Nagar has Nazul type land, which means it is government own non-agriculture land. The anti-encroachment drive to develop the Kukrail Riverfront into an eco-tourism hub left hundreds of families in a state of helplessness. Both the High Court and Supreme Court had upheld the government’s decision. The displaced residents were relocated to small flats in the Vasant Kunj area under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY). The distance of Vasant Kunj, from Akbar Nagar is 17 kilometers. They say, in 20 kilometers in India, languages get changed. So, for Akbar Nagar residents, their life changed (for bad) in the name of development. Here it is how?

Struggle for education 

Many orthodox families didn’t allow their girls to study, but they made an exception since the school was close to Akbar Nagar. Now that Vasant Kunj is far from the school, the girls are no longer allowed to continue their education. Some girls are rebelling against their families to continue their education, cycling 15 km to school. However, they remain unsure about how long they can keep up with this routine.

Sanaya studies at Rajat School, 25 kms away, and it takes a lot of time to get there and often gets scolded by teachers for being late for school. ‘Hindu students make fun of me because my home was demolished. They say “You were living on Nazul land.” It was a Muslim area—that’s why it was demolished. My parents don’t want me to study but I’ve forced them. I’ve even been slapped for it. My brother takes me to school by rickshaw which is why I’m able to go. Girls in my caste don’t study, and people taunt me, saying a girl’s place is in the kitchen. I’m only allowed to finish high school, nothing more. It would have been easier in Akbar Nagar. My parents don’t trust me but I have confidence in myself. I’ll never get that freedom (Kabhi nahi milegi azadi). Other girls don’t want to humiliate themselves by telling their stories. I want people to know about me. My mother says we could have studied if our home hadn’t been demolished.”

The larger picture is bleak. A report sent by the state government to the union education ministry in September 2021 said that More than 35 percent of children drop out after class 8 in 13 districts of Uttar Pradesh. The report shows that only 87% of students who completed grade 8 in the previous year moved on to grade 9 in 2019-20. For girls, the transition rate is even lower at 81.5%, and in 13 districts, less than 65% of girls made it from elementary to secondary school.

Seema has lived in Akbar Nagar since childhood. Her mother passed away due to stress about home. Others died too— a man hanged himself, and another jumped off a building. She studied until the 8th grade and then enrolled in Iram Madrasa for a six-year course. “I completed four years but Akbar Nagar was demolished just when I had two years left. I feel wasted now. Na hi hum Hindi, angrezi padh paye aur na Urdu (I couldn’t study Hindi, English or [Urdu]). This numb feeling has left me with nothing. The government talks about ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao. Beti ko to padhne hi nahi diya’ (They didn’t let me study). My nieces travel 15-16 km to school by van, but I had to stop studying.  It costs a thousand rupees per child each month, plus fees. I’ve had to sacrifice my education for the little ones. I had hoped to pay tuition after finishing my studies. Ab irada hi khatam ho gaya hai (I have no intentions). With Akbar Nagar gone, my determination is gone too. What’s our future now? My childhood and memories died with our home,” Seema stated.

Uttar Pradesh consistently ranks last among large states in NITI Aayog’s School Education Quality Index (SEQI).

The irrigation department in July marked the houses in Pant Nagar, Indraprastha Nagar, Abrar Nagar, and Rahim Nagar as falling within the 50-metre floodplain area of the Kukrail River. Thereby, prohibiting construction in the area.

However, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath who is often found boasting “bulldozer” or known as “bulldozer baba” dropped the idea after protests from residents.

Unemployment soars

A vegetable vendor Mohammad Salman is struggling to make a living. He is not even earning 25% of his previous income. Salman said most of the people in helplessness have become fruit and vegetable vendors in Vasant Kunj. “We used to buy as customers but now we are the ones selling. Earlier, different people bought from us—office workers, labourers, outsiders. It was a bustling market on the road. Since this is a remote and isolated place, most people seeking livelihoods have become sellers. Who will buy when everyone is selling? It’s even hard to find labour work here. It feels like we’re herded in a circle, just surviving among ourselves,” Salman said.

He continued, “We can’t even afford to send our kids to school. It’s their age to study but they roam the streets. Let alone pay fees, we don’t even have enough to get them admitted to school. People say, ‘He’s poor, he’ll make his children illiterate.’ But it’s not us—it’s the situation we’ve been forced into. We had income in Akbar Nagar, our children were studying, and we were happy to spend on their education. Yahan to 20 rupees kamane mein bhi bahut zillat hai (Earning even Rs 20 is a struggle here).

People say, ‘Like father, like children—both uneducated.’ When we don’t earn, of course, our children will end up illiterate. We can’t meet our basic needs. We manage somehow when our kids or wives fall sick but who will take care of the family when men fall ill? We can’t even afford to get sick. The real problem here is earning.”

Meanwhile, the housing crisis continues to worsen. According to a 2024 estimate by the Housing and Land Rights Network (HLRN), over 1,53,820 homes were demolished in 2022 and 2023, leading to the forced eviction of more than 7,38,438 individuals across India. From 2017 to 2023, evictions affected over 1.68 million people, with the numbers rising steadily—1,07,625 in 2019, 2,22,686 in 2022, and 5,15,752 in 2023.

Women and the elderly face safety and accessibility

Women too face new challenges. “We were never worried about women’s safety in Akbar Nagar. It was a market area where we could go out alone and return late without fear. We feel scared here as soon as it gets dark— for ourselves and our children. The windows don’t have glass, the roads become deserted, and there are trespassers. We can’t leave our girls alone. We had a sense of security in Akbar Nagar where even neighbours would watch over the children. They’ve mixed people from different areas making the atmosphere unsettling. Their behaviour is uncivilized. Who can we trust?

Akbar Nagar had everything—schools, hospitals, and a nearby market. It was within walking distance. There’s not even a medical store for emergencies. I’ve had to stock up on medicines just in case. And what about the girls going to Karamat for education? Has anyone thought about how they’re managing? We live in fear. Who is looking out for our safety?” asked Rehana carrying a newborn in her lap.

The situation is dire for the elderly in Vasant Kunj. “I have knee pain due to my age. I can only leave the house for hospital visits, which are miles away. There is no lift facility. Climbing back up to the fourth floor is exhausting; I have to rest on each floor. The hospital is far away, and travelling there costs a lot. We often don’t have water and when it comes, it’s too dirty to drink without filtering. In Akbar Nagar, we could at least get water from our neighbours. Here, there’s no mosque or madrasa for the children, and we don’t even hear the call for namaz,” said an old lady catching a breath.