Bhopal Municipal Corporation Plans 6 New ABC Centres For Rabies-Free City

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): In a bid to make Bhopal a rabies-free city by 2030, Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) has proposed setting up of six new Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres. This initiative aims to control the rapidly growing stray dog population, which currently exceeds 1.2 lakh.

At present, the city operates only three ABC centres, which sterilise approximately 500 stray dogs weekly, totalling around 24,000 annually. However, BMC officials have expressed concern that this capacity is insufficient to keep up with the surge in stray dog population.

The situation is exacerbated by the presence of around 32,000 female stray dogs, each of which can give birth twice a year, producing 8 to 10 puppies per cycle. Even if half of these puppies survive, the population can double within a year.

BMC Chairman Kishan Suryavanshi highlighted the growing challenge of managing stray dog population and ensuring public safety. “The current three ABC centres are inadequate to meet the needs of the city. To achieve our vision of making Bhopal the first rabies-free city in the state, we need additional centres,” he said.

The proposal to add six new ABC centres is part of BMC’s broader strategy to improve public safety, control stray dog population, and eliminate threat of rabies. The initiative underscores the civicbody’scommitment to both animal welfare and health of its residents, marking a significant step toward Bhopal’s goal of becoming a rabies-free city by 2030.

Proposal submitted to Central govt

Ranveer Singh, Additional Commissioner of Bhopal Municipal Corporation BMC), told Free Press that BMC has submitted a proposal to the Union government for establishment of six new Animal Birth Control (ABC) centres. With this addition, the city plans to have a total of nine operational ABC centres soon. Singh said that without the new centres, controlling stray dog population and achieving the city's goal of becoming rabies-free by 2030 would be nearly impossible.