LUCKNOW, Aug. 11 -- The Lucknow Municipal Corporation (LMC) appears far from fully prepared to tackle the city's structural safety crisis, even as the monsoon intensifies and a recent building crack in Aliganj triggered urgent inspections. While officials from the engineering department have identified over 208 dilapidated buildings across four municipal zones, Zone 7 and Zone 8 have surprisingly reported none. Zone 4 has just four, and Zone 5 only one dilapidated building, indicating possible laxity on the part of the LMC team.

The matter came into focus on Monday after a large crack appeared in a partially dilapidated building near Dandaiya Market in Aliganj (Zone 3). The incident prompted a site visit by member of legislative council ...