Madhya Pradesh Congress president Jitu Patwari on Thursday, 13 August wrote to Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, demanding a time-bound policy to address the ongoing crackdown on commercial establishments operating in residential areas of Bhopal. Patwari argued that traders and residents should not bear the consequences of decades of urban planning failures by successive governments.

Background: Supreme Court Order and BMC Action

The crackdown follows directions from the Supreme Court on commercial activities being conducted in residential zones. Acting on those directions, the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) has reportedly issued around 1,800 notices to establishments, disrupting small businesses and families that have operated from such locations for years. Many of these businesses had reportedly paid taxes or obtained licences and permissions from government agencies during their years of operation.

What Patwari Said

In his letter, Patwari acknowledged that the Supreme Court's directions must be followed but drew a clear distinction between legal compliance and governmental accountability. 'Compliance with the Supreme Court's order and finding a solution to the government's planning-related failure are two separate issues,' he wrote.

He pointed out that Bhopal continues to function under the 2005 development plan — with only two plans, from 1991 and 2005, having been approved since 1975. He flagged that the draft Bhopal Development Plan-2031 was returned by the government in February 2024, and questioned the delay in finalising its revised version. According to Patwari, the city's urban needs have changed substantially since 2005, with significant growth in population, traffic, housing, employment, education, healthcare, and commercial activity.

Key Demands Raised

Patwari put forward a series of specific demands, including making the Development Plan-2031 public with a firm implementation deadline. He called for a GIS-based survey of existing land use to classify properties across residential, commercial, mixed-use, and other categories. He also proposed a policy for businesses that have operated legally — through tax payments or government permissions — covering options such as relocation, regularisation, or reclassification wherever legally permissible.

He urged the creation of clearly defined mixed land-use zones on suitable roads and corridors, affordable commercial spaces for displaced small traders, and public hearings in affected areas. He also called for an integrated digital planning system linking the municipal corporation, town and country planning authorities, Bhopal Development Authority, and other agencies.

Broader Warning for MP's Cities

'Sealing versus business or residents versus traders is not the solution. The solution is for the government to accept its planning responsibility and build a capital where safe housing, organised markets and scientific urban infrastructure coexist,' Patwari said in his letter.

He also demanded a white paper detailing the preparation and delay of both the 2005 plan and the Development Plan-2031, and called for mandatory review of development plans every five years. Patwari warned that similar conflicts could emerge in Indore, Jabalpur, Gwalior, and other cities if the state does not formulate a comprehensive urban planning policy for Madhya Pradesh.

The state government is yet to formally respond to the letter. How the Yadav administration balances Supreme Court compliance with the ground-level disruption to thousands of livelihoods will likely shape the political contours of this dispute in the weeks ahead.