Encroachment Drive: Boat Club Demolition Drive Today As Administration Races To Meet NGT Deadline

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The district administration is set to launch a major demolition drive at the Boat Club on Monday as it accelerates efforts to remove encroachments within the 50-metre Full Tank Level (FTL) zone of the Bhoj Wetland (Upper Lake) before submitting its Action Taken Report (ATR) to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on July 9.

Five months after the anti-encroachment campaign began on February 25, only 57 of the 347 identified illegal structures have been removed, leaving 290 still standing.

On Saturday, a joint team of the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the district administration demolished six permanent structures in Sevaniya Gond, Gaura Bishankhedi and nearby areas.

However, 15 permanent structures remain within the protected FTL zone there.

Despite repeated NGT directives, the pace of demolition has remained slow. Officials said phased action will continue against all remaining encroachments except those protected by court orders.

Boat Club next on the list

The administration has completed a survey of 26 illegal structures in the Boat Club area, including hotels, restaurants and food zone shops.

Among those facing action are the MPT-operated Winds and Waves restaurant, Jhak restaurant, Lehar restaurant and 26 Municipal Corporation food zone shops.

Officialspeak

TT Nagar SDM Archana Rawat Sharma told Free Press that 36 structures remain in the Boat Club area, of which one is under a court stay.

Action will be taken against the remaining structures, while legal proceedings have been initiated to vacate the stay on the protected property.