• The principal bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court in Jabalpur asked the state government to submit a reply within four weeks on illegal commercial constructions in E-1 to E-5, Arera Colony, Bhopal.
• The PIL was filed by Purnendu Shukla, a member of the SC monitoring committee for gas victims, and environmentalist Dr Subhash Pandey.
• The petition targets widespread illegal commercial construction and land-use change in Arera Colony.
• Notices were issued to the chief secretary, additional chief secretary, urban administration principal secretary, revenue principal secretary, T&C P commissioner, Bhopal collector and municipal officials.
• The petition cites violations of the Madhya Pradesh Town and Country Planning Act, 1973, and Bhopal Development Plan 2005.
• It also cites traffic pressure, pollution, choked drains and poor living standards.
• Petitioners say residential buildings are being converted into malls or shopping complexes.
• The PIL mentions deteriorating traffic conditions in Bhopal’s Number 10 market and nearby areas, including jams, vehicles being locked by traffic police, towing of two-wheelers and challans.
• The petition says the area was originally residential, but illegal commercial activity has turned it into an unplanned market and caused system collapse.

Bhopal Development Plan 2047 proposes new rules for road widths, land use and building development, but residents and experts say parking, daily amenities and civic infrastructure remain concerns in Arera Colony as redevelopment expands.

Resident Purnendu Shukla said government-leased quarters allotted to MPEB employees for residential use are operating as offices, sometimes with no employee or engineer living there. Large-vehicle parking has damaged sewage lines and residents’ gates. Residents fear broad mixed-land-use provisions could allow non-residential use despite residential lease terms.

The draft identifies multi-level parking facilities at MP Nagar Zone-1, Bairagarh, New Market, Ibrahimpura and Moti Masjid, plus off-street and on-street parking locations, but provides no separate parking inventory for Arera Colony. It mentions “12% open area, half for parking.”

MANIT Department of Architecture and Planning head Dr Krishna Kumar Dhote called for assessing water, drainage, electricity and other service capacity before further development. The plan does not address government-leased properties; retrospective land-use regularisation would not convert leases to freehold without Supreme Court directions.

• The Madhya Pradesh government released Bhopal’s draft Development Plan-2047, the first new plan in more than two decades; the 1995 plan was intended to run until 2005. It plans for a population of around 45 lakh.
• Of the 1,01,690-hectare investment region, 61,017 hectares (60%) are proposed for urban uses and 40,673 hectares for water bodies, agriculture and other uses. Green and eco-sensitive zones cover 27%; 3,289.94 hectares are for parks, sports grounds, gardens, lakefronts, urban forests and afforestation. Around 10% is recommended for mixed-use recreation.
• Residential use covers 26,240 hectares (43% of planned urban land), divided into existing, proposed, limited-density, future and highly environment-sensitive zones. Limited-density areas include VIP areas, Arera Colony, Chunabhatti, Shyamla Hills, Vijay Nagar, Char Imli and Gandhi Nagar. A new system allows residential and commercial activity in the same zone.
• Commercial zones include MP Nagar, New Market and Misrod; MP Nagar permits redevelopment of old buildings at higher FAR. Shops, offices and housing are allowed in mixed-use areas.
• A 51-km corridor across about 3,000 hectares would connect proposed Education Knowledge Artificial Intelligence (EKAI) City at Bhauri, the airport, commercial areas, logistics and wholesale hubs, and suburbs. It would include housing, hotels, hospitals, IT and AI facilities, data centres, malls, offices and educational institutions. BRTS is proposed initially, with possible later conversion to MRTS; links would connect roads toward Vidisha, Raisen, Narmadapuram and Indore.
• Development Plan roads would increase from 515.78 km to 795.61 km. Roads toward Narmadapuram, Raisen, Berasia, Vidisha and Bilkisganj would be 60 metres wide outside the urban area and 45 metres within it; Kolar Road would be 45 metres and Chiklod Road 30 metres.
• Metro would expand from 27.8 km to 95.82 km, with Transit-Oriented Development zones extending 500 metres on both sides of existing and future lines. Upper Lake (Bhojtal) is divided into BIZ-0, BIZ-1 and BIZ-2; a 1,791.84-hectare eco-sensitive zone is proposed around Ratapani Sanctuary.

Bhopal’s Maida Mill–Ganesh Mandir stretch has developed deep craters, peeling road surfaces and uneven patches after heavy monsoon showers, disrupting commuters. The route passes Board Office Square and Rani Kamlapati railway station, links commercial hub MP Nagar with the station, and carries heavy daily traffic. It also serves residents of Arera Colony, Habibganj, Shahpura and other residential areas along Hoshangabad Road. Officials are due to review repairs on September 21.

The Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) launched a sealing drive against commercial establishments operating illegally in residential areas, beginning from Rohit Nagar. Action comes after expiry of notices issued under Supreme Court directives; next hearing scheduled for Aug 4.

First enforcement actions: tattoo studio and skin clinic sealed at Rudraksha Square; Hotel Raj Mahal sealed at Akriti Eco City in Salaiya. Drive continuing in Rohit Nagar Phase II, Bawadiya Kalan and other residential localities.

Over 200 commercial establishments voluntarily shut down across Rohit Nagar, Bawadiya Kalan and Arera Colony before operation began. Nearly 100 police personnel deployed with BMC anti-encroachment team.

BMC deputy commissioner Bhuvan Gupta stated action taken in compliance with Supreme Court orders. Notices issued to all building owners per rules. Most traders voluntarily stopped commercial activities; sealing action taken against non-compliant establishments.

Traders' association appealed to hotel, restaurant and showroom owners to keep businesses shut until Aug 4 hearing. Some establishments reopened after BMC team left.

Brief tension in Bawadiya Kalan when former councillor Rambabu Patidar opposed tattoo studio sealing; situation brought under control.

BMC issued 1,018 total notices to commercial establishments operating from residential premises across city: 429 in Arera Colony and Bawadiya Kalan (highest). Sealing action to continue against non-compliant establishments.