Decks Cleared For Bhopal's Flyover, Anti-Encroachment Drive Begins; BMC Taken Against 70 Establishments

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Amid protest by locals, authorities initiated an anti-encroachment drive at Prabhat Chowk on Monday as part of preparations for a new flyover project. The operation was carried out by a joint team comprising of personnel from four police stations, officials from the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) and representatives from Public Works Department (PWD).

Action was taken under the supervision of Additional DCP Manpreet Brar and SDM Ravish Srivastava to remove encroachment for its service lane. Out of 70 encroachments, 25 were removed from both sides in the presence of police.

Following prior notice issued to shop owners. Despite some local protests against the action, BMC officials reported that majority of residents cooperated with the process. According to information, around Rs 44 crore will be spent to build the bridge which will be 650 metres long and 19 metres wide at Prabhat Square.

Ravi Shukla, PWD’s sub divisional officer(SDO), told Free Press that the operation was conducted in accordance with due notice and emphasised that the team worked to assist locals in relocating their belongings safely. ‘The action was necessary to facilitate construction of a service road, which is a prerequisite for the planned flyover.

We ensured that the process was carried out systematically, with our team assisting people in safeguarding their important items,’ Shukla stated. The new flyover is expected to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion in the area. While the drive faced initial resistance, authorities commended the cooperative efforts of many residents, which contributed to the smooth execution of the operation.