HC Orders Bhopal Municipal Corporation Commissioner To Clear Cricket Academy From Saket Nagar Park

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The High Court, principal bench of Jabalpur, has ordered the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) commissioner to take action against the encroachment on a public park in Saket Nagar, Bhopal, where a cricket academy is being run. The commissioner has been given 30 days to clear the encroachment.

Residents formed the Saket Yuva Samiti, which onverted this park into a sports ground, and leased it out to a cricket academy for commercial activities. Local residents lodged complaints with public representatives, the administration, and the police; however, when the encroachment was not removed, they approached the High Court.

The court has issued clear directives that, based on the available evidence, statutory action must be taken within four weeks to remove both the encroachment and the commercial activities from the park.

Advocate Sahil Nayak, who appeared on behalf of the petitioner, stated that while developing Sector-3C of the Saket Nagar (BHEL) area, the Bhopal Development Authority had made a provision for a park in the master plan, and the park was subsequently developed. Saket Yuva Sanskriti Samiti rented it out for cricket sports, which encroached upon the entire park.

The Samiti does not have the power to rent the park for such activities. Nayak said, We raised the issue before the High Court, which ordered the BMC commissioner to get the park vacated within 30 days.