Varanasi’s Dalmandi Marg Widening Drive Resumes, 20 Buildings Demolished In Fresh Action

The Dalmandi Marg widening project in Varanasi is advancing with phased demolitions, ongoing land registry, and compensation processes. Authorities emphasise safety, security, and timely documentation to facilitate the construction of a 650-metre road with wider footpaths and improved access.

Demolition work for the Dalmandi Marg widening project in Varanasi restarted on 9 May 2026. Authorities pulled down 20 buildings on Saturday as part of the latest drive. Seventeen of these had completed registry, while three were listed as unsafe. The operation ran till late evening, with drone cameras tracking every stage of the exercise.

Officials had planned to demolish 45 structures during the day, including 24 already declared dangerous by the municipal corporation. However, only 20 could be removed by night. Buildings selected for action were vacated one day earlier. Local access was sealed as teams moved in to clear the marked stretch.

Dalmandi Marg road widening project: demolition drive and security

The drive began at about 1 pm, after barricades closed the New Road and Chowk side entry points. Additional District Magistrate (City) Alok Kumar Verma led the joint team. Staff from PWD, Varanasi Municipal Corporation, the revenue department and police joined the operation. First priority went to properties where registry had been completed.

After those registered structures came down, workers turned to old, dilapidated houses along the route. Their owners had earlier received notices, asking them to demolish unsafe portions themselves. Dalmandi is a very narrow lane, so most work is still done by labourers. JCB machines are being used only when cleared space allows safe movement.

Security arrangements around Dalmandi Marg remained strict through the day. Police and paramilitary personnel guarded every junction and by-lane. Senior officers, including ADCP Kashi Vaibhav Bangar and ACP Dr. Atul Anjan Tripathi, stayed on site. PWD assistant engineer Anurag Tiwari and junior engineers K.K. Singh, Rahul Kumar, Amar Chandra Gupta and Govind Dubey monitored the technical work with Chowk Inspector Dilip Mishra.

Dalmandi Marg road widening project: land acquisition and compensation

Executive engineer K.K. Singh from the PWD provincial division said that 184 buildings have been marked for acquisition. Registry has already been completed for about one third of these properties. Owners of such buildings have received compensation decided under government norms. Officials are now stressing quick paperwork to speed up the remaining process.

According to K.K. Singh, building owners are being asked to submit proof of ownership without delay. Revenue officials will examine these records before the registry of each plot starts. During this period, action will continue on properties where registry is done and on structures declared unsafe by the civic body. Demolition will move in phases along the notified stretch.

Dalmandi Marg road widening project: scope and progress

Officials said that nearly one third of the land needed for the Dalmandi Marg road widening project has been cleared. The PWD provincial division has completed registry for 61 properties so far. Altogether, buildings have been demolished along about 230 metres of the alignment. Work is moving segment by segment as possession becomes available.

The project proposes a 650-metre-long road with a width of 17.4 metres. Estimated cost is about Rs 221 crore. Officials state that this stretch will have the widest footpaths in Varanasi once finished. The first registry under the scheme took place last October, on Dhanteras, when a building in the Chowk area was taken into PWD possession.

To help affected residents, an assistance camp has been set up at Chowk police station. Here, people receive information about the Dalmandi Marg widening project and compensation procedures. Ownership papers are collected at the camp and then checked by the revenue department. Based on these findings, the registry and payment process is moving forward.

The Varanasi Development Authority has declared 12 structures along the route as illegal constructions. Two of these have already been demolished. The municipal corporation earlier labelled 21 buildings as dilapidated and later added 24 more to that list. Most dangerous structures have been removed in the first phase. Over 45 registered buildings have also been brought down.

Dalmandi Marg road widening project: safety concerns and recent incident

Safety concerns around old houses in Dalmandi increased after an incident on 8 May 2026. A weak building collapsed on its own that Friday morning. The structure crumbled suddenly, but no injuries were reported. The administration released video of the collapse. Officials used the incident to underline the risk posed by ageing properties in the area.

The district administration has appealed to residents to vacate houses that appear unstable. People have been urged to move out of such structures before formal action begins. Authorities say this step is needed to avoid any mishap during the widening work. The appeal runs alongside the planned registry, demolition and road construction schedule.

With one third of the required stretch already cleared, the Dalmandi Marg widening project is moving steadily. Officials continue to focus on document verification, compensation and phased demolition. Security and safety measures remain tight during each operation. Further progress now depends mainly on how quickly remaining owners submit records and hand over their properties.