Bhopal News: Fear Of Displacement Grips Thousands Of Banganga Slum Dwellers As BMC Revives Failed ISSR Plan

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Fear and uncertainty have gripped thousands of slum dwellers in Banganga and ad-joining areas after the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) initiated a fresh survey under the revived In-Situ Slum Rede-velopment (ISSR) scheme, an urban housing plan that had failed to take off in the past.

According to BMC officials, around 24 hectares of land across Banganga and nearby localities have been identified under the state government's Suraj Policy-2023, which aims to make Bhopal "slum-free" (Jhuggi Mukt Bhopal).

More than two lakh families currently live in slums across Bhopal. The policy proposes construction of houses for homeless and Economically Weaker Section (EWS) families by clearing government land from encroachments. The identified land falls under five khasras and extends across wards 24 and 25.

Officials from the Urban Administration Department (UAD) said land freed from encroachment would be handed to private developers. In exchange, EWS housing, called Suraj Towers, will be constructed on a portion of the land. The ongoing survey is intended to assess eligibility and relocation of slum dwellers under the ISSR framework.

Nearly 8,000 families, around 40,000 people, could be affected in Banganga. Many have lived in these settlements for nearly five decades. The project also covers about 1,000 families from Bhim Nagar and Arjun Nagar. However, due to geographical constraints, officials said these families may be relocated to Suraj Towers in Banganga.

ISSR past failures
UAD officials acknowledged similar ISSR projects launched in 2019 at Shivaji Nagar and Anna Nagar failed. Despite six rounds of tenders, no private builder came forward, citing unfavourable project conditions and land acquisition issues.

Residents' fears
Local residents say the survey has revived old fears. "My family has lived here since the 1970s. We have electricity and water connections. We are not against development, but we fear losing our homes in the name of redevelopment," said Imran, a Banganga resident.

Expert concern
Urban planning experts have questioned the feasibility of redevelopment in Banganga. Dr. Krishna Dhote, Professor at MANIT's Department of Architecture and Planning, told Free Press that a 2013 study conducted by his team found the 42-acre Banganga area unsuitable for large-scale construction due to Banganga Nallah and related environmental constraints.

"No eviction action has been initiated. Nearly 40% of the survey has been completed. At present, we are only conducting surveys and exploring all possible options for rehabilitation including ISSR," said Tanmay V Sharma, additional municipal commissioner.