Lucknow, Dec 24 (IANS): The Lucknow Development Authority (LDA), from next week, will start construction of affordable apartments on a 20,000 sq ft plot in the posh Dalibagh area that has been freed from the clutches of gangster politician Mukhtar Ansari.

The authority plans to build 72 affordable flats on the land in two four-storey buildings with 36 flats each for economically disadvantaged people.

Assistant engineer K. P. Gupta said that the land was handed over to LDA by the government in October for the housing complex.

Gupta said that LDA will begin construction within a week, with a targeted completion date by the end of 2024. The allocation of flats to deserving recipients will be managed through the District Urban Development Authority within a year.

The construction contract, valued at Rs 3.50 crore, has been awarded to a private Gorakhpur-based company. The average cost of one flat is estimated to be Rs 4.5 lakh after subsidy.

Specific pricing for prospective residents will be determined at a later stage.

LDA executive engineer Ajay Singh said this step represents a practical approach towards addressing housing disparities, using confiscated assets for the benefit of the community.