Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday announced that Kasari-Masari in Prayagraj, once considered a stronghold of slain gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed, would be renamed Shrikrishnapuri. The area will also be developed into a residential township with housing for around 1,200 poor families on land reclaimed from Ahmed’s possession.
Adityanath made the announcement after performing the bhoomi pujan, or foundation ceremony, for the Padma Lok Apartment project, being developed by the Prayagraj Development Authority (PDA).
“Mafia Atiq Ahmed’s terror stronghold Kasari-Masari will be developed as ‘Shrikrishnapuri’,” the chief minister said.
He also warned criminals against engaging in mafia activities, saying those who did so would have to be prepared to be “reduced to dust”.
1,200 Families to Receive Houses
According to Adityanath, 602 families will receive houses in the first phase of the project, while another 598 families will be accommodated in the second phase. The township is expected to house more than 6,000 people.
The chief minister said the initiative was part of the state government’s drive to reclaim properties linked to alleged mafia activities and provide housing to economically weaker families. He added that 86 poor families had earlier received houses in Lokarganj under a similar scheme.
The proposed Shrikrishnapuri township will include a market, parks, sports facilities and a gym. The PDA will be responsible for developing these amenities.
PDA Secretary Vineet Kumar Singh said the Padma Lok Apartment project would cover 9,811 square metres and consist of a 14-storey building with 602 flats. Each flat will have two bedrooms, a hall and a kitchen, with an area of 56.45 square metres.
The complex will also feature rainwater harvesting, a solar system, a swimming pool, a community hall and a commercial complex. Beneficiaries were selected through a lottery in April 2025.
Yogi Adityanath Warns Criminals
During his address, Adityanath alleged that Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf had exercised control over properties in Prayagraj during previous governments.
“Wherever Atiq and Ashraf put their feet, the land would become theirs,” he said, accusing the previous Samajwadi Party government of failing to act against them.
He said strict action would be taken against people illegally occupying others’ properties. If necessary, their ancestral properties could also be confiscated and used to build houses for poor families.
The chief minister said fear and insecurity had previously hindered development, investment and employment opportunities in Prayagraj. He credited the BJP government, which came to power in Uttar Pradesh in 2017, with adopting a “zero-tolerance” policy towards crime.
He also accused the Samajwadi Party of encouraging criminals and said his government had focused on development and improving connectivity, including through the Ganga Expressway.
Atiq Ahmed and Ashraf Were Killed in 2023
Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were shot dead by three men posing as journalists on April 15, 2023, while police were escorting them for a medical examination in Prayagraj. The killings took place during a media interaction.
Atiq, who had a long association with the Samajwadi Party, had faced multiple criminal cases.
Separately, Adityanath announced that an industrial training institute being built in Prayagraj would be named after Maharaja Bijli Pasi.
