Following LMC action, Sahara petitions HC to block interference on Gomti Nagar estate

In a move that marks the end of an era, the Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) has sealed the legendary 170-acre Sahara Shahar. Once a dazzling hub for India’s elite, the complex featured a helipad, luxury guesthouses, a private cinema, and even a cricket stadium, has long been a mystery to the public. Originally leased in 1995, the complex was found to be in violation of its agreement, prompting the LMC to take action.

After LMC sealed all six gates of the Sahara estate, Sahara Corporation approached the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court on Monday. The company is seeking to prevent the municipal body from disrupting its possession of the Gomtinagar properties. Sahara has also contested the LMC orders issued on September 8 and 11, which annulled the lease deed and directed the forcible takeover of the land.

At its peak, Sahara Shahar was a political and social hub, hosting grand events like the 2004 weddings of Subrata Roy’s sons, with a guest list including Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and actor Amitabh Bachchan. However, after Roy's arrest in 2014, the property’s sheen faded. The LMC took full possession after a legal review and sealed all entrances to the site, marking the end of an era for the once-glamorous complex.

Despite protests from former employees and residents, the LMC completed the operation peacefully, with no one remaining inside.