Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], July 27 (ANI): The Varanasi Development Authority (VDA) carried out a demolition drive of two illegally constructed luxurious hotels belonging to the same owner on the banks of the Varuna River in Varanasi on Saturday. Pulkit Khare, Vice-Chairman, Varanasi Development Authority said, "When the map was cleared, it was for the ground floor plus two for residential house. They combined multiple plots and made 2 hotels, no approval was taken for this.

When demolition order was issued, they appealed to commissioner and then it went to administration and court. The court said that administration would decide and the administration dismissed the case in 2019." He further said that in the last six years, money is being earned illegally through this hotel.

"In 2017-18 they stopped the demolition from happening, an FIR was registered against them in 2017-18. When the team for the demolition came, they did not allow it to happen. In the last six years, money is being earned illegally through this hotel.

Last week also we gave notice to them to vacate the area but they did not obey. Multiple FIRs are registered against them. Today we are taking the action," he added.

The two hotels was being run by the same person under different names for almost 22 years. (ANI).