Bhopal Metro Rail & Smart City Development Work: Jawahar Chowk Traders Protest, Seek Clarity On Shifting Of Shops

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The traders of Jawahar Chowk whose businesses are being affected by the ongoing metro rail and Smart City projects staged protest here on Tuesday demanding clarity on the shifting of their outlets.

Nearly 225 shop owners demonstrated demanding the authorities to chalk out a detailed plan about the location where they would be allotted new shops and their price. The shops coming in the way of the metro rail development and Smart city are to be dismantled but the traders are demanding that before their shops are razed, the authorities should share with them the details of the new outlets they would be allotted. The traders are apprehensive if the new location would have potential market for their business and the shops allotted would be reasonably priced.

Sangh president Manoj Dwivedi told Free Press, “ There are 225 shops which are to be shifted due to Rail Metro and Smart City projects. We demand that before shifting the shops, the authority concerned should come up with a plan to clarify the area where the new shops will be located and at what rate.

Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been assigned construction of 600 shops near Katju Hospital but we want assurance and detailed planning, said Dwivedi.

Around four years ago, 150 traders of Jawahar Chowk were shifted and allotted shops near TT Nagar stadium. But most of the traders sold off their outlets as it was way beyond their budget. Now, the traders who once owned a shop and kiosks have turned into street vendors running business on handcarts, said Dwivedi.

Published on: Wednesday, September 13, 2023, 12:39 AM IST