Thousands of Bhopal residents filed formal objections to the draft Master Plan 2047 at the Town and Country Planning (TNCP) office on Thursday, 22 October, warning that provisions in the draft could open the Upper Lake catchment, green zones and tiger movement corridors to construction, according to reports of the filing.
Source: Nation Press
The objection drive was led by the Joint Residents' Struggle Committee, which coordinated submissions from multiple localities. Petitioner Vivek Tripathi said provisions on construction in the Upper Lake catchment, increased floor area ratio (FAR) and encroachment on green belts and wildlife corridors could adversely affect Bhopal's environment, and argued the city's development plan should centre on water conservation rather than threaten its water bodies and green areas.
Residents specifically opposed Clauses 15.38 and 15.39 of the draft, which they allege could allow regularisation of commercial activities inside residential premises and wider commercialisation through a proposed 'Market Street' concept.
The committee alleged the two clauses risk changing the character of established neighbourhoods, particularly Arera Colony, and could worsen traffic congestion, parking shortages and pollution. 'The master plan should not become a means of granting legitimacy to illegal constructions or benefiting influential people in the name of civic amenities,' the committee stated. These are the residents' allegations about the draft; the TNCP had not publicly responded to the volume of objections in the reports.
Residents cited research by T V Ramachandra of the Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, on the loss of green spaces, lakes and wetlands driven by rapid urbanisation, and said Bhopal must learn from Bengaluru's experience rather than repeat it. The Upper Lake is a key source of drinking water for the city and a biodiversity hotspot, the reports noted.
Source: IANS via Hi India
The committee demanded that the residential character of RG-3 zones, especially E-1 to E-5 in Arera Colony, be retained, that parks and open spaces under approved layouts be protected, and that footpaths, service roads and parking be developed in line with Indian Roads Congress recommendations. It also urged the planning department to examine all objections transparently and grant personal hearings before the plan is finalised.
The committee warned that if its concerns are not addressed, petitioners may raise the matter before the Supreme Court at its next scheduled hearing. No timeline for hearings on the objections had been announced in the reports.