Madhya Pradesh HC Orders Status Quo Over Demolition Of 381 Houses In Moti Nagar

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): High Court, principal bench has stayed ongoing demolition of 381 houses in Moti Nagar, instructing to maintain status quo in respect of kutcha hutments which are being used as residential places. Justice Vishal Dhagat passed the order.

Additional Advocate General Janvi Pandit who appeared for the state, prayed for four weeks time to seek instruction in the matter and make submissions before the Court.

On February 9, the district administration in association with Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) demolished 110 shops and identified 381 houses for demolition in Moti Nagar along the railway track.

Action was taken to remove encroachment on railway land to make way for the third leg of Subhash Nagar ROB and a new railway line. The operation had targeted 42 shops built on railway land and 58 shops located on PWD land, according to officials.

Raisa Bi and others had filed petition in the HC demanding instruction for authorities to reallocate petitioners in some other place before removing their encroachment. The state government had formulated various schemes and the legislature has also enacted laws to rehabilitate encroachers.