Bhopal, Feb 25 (NationPress) Umang Singhar, the Leader of Opposition in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, claimed on Wednesday that numerous essential urban master plans across the state have been intentionally postponed, attributing this to governmental administrative paralysis and internal conflicts.

Singhar criticized the Mohan Yadav administration, questioning the delays in implementing master plans for significant cities including Indore, Bhopal, and Gwalior.

“What is causing these delays in master plans? Why is the Chief Minister reluctant to see them through? The residents of Indore and Bhopal are suffering due to this ongoing postponement,” he stated while addressing reporters during the eighth day of the current Budget Session.

He further suggested that a power struggle between the Chief Minister and Urban Affairs Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya has hindered the approval process.

“Urban administration lacks the autonomy needed, and significant decisions are not being made. Consequently, master plans for major cities have been pending for almost a year and a half,” he asserted.

The Congress leader emphasized that while master plans for cities like Indore and Bhopal have been stalled for nearly two years, illegal colonies continue to proliferate unchecked.

“The discord between the Chief Minister and the Urban Affairs Minister is evident even within the Assembly. Either ministers should be granted complete authority to operate or they should resign. Public welfare should not be compromised due to governmental infighting,” Singhar remarked.

This statement followed Vijayvargiya's comments in the Assembly, where he mentioned that the Urban Development Department had submitted draft master plans to the Chief Minister’s Office around one-and-a-half years ago.

“The release of the master plan is at the Chief Minister’s discretion. We are currently waiting for his approval,” Vijayvargiya noted during the discussions.

The topic of urban development gained traction after Congress MLA Jaivardhan Singh raised concerns regarding the delay in finalizing Bhopal’s master plan. Singh, who previously served as Urban Development Minister under the Congress government led by Kamal Nath, pointed out that Bhopal’s master plan has been outdated for almost 20 years.

He further claimed that the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) had also highlighted delays in updating master plans. “Is the government intentionally stalling this? People are compelled to repeatedly visit the Town and Country Planning Office, where all transactions are processed,” he questioned.

The discussion regarding urban development and outstanding master plans continued in the Assembly on Wednesday, as the Opposition pressed the government for a definitive timeline on their approval and execution.