BHOPAL: The district administration, in association with the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC), bulldozed many pucca constructions, including ‘Mandapam’ – a marriage garden owned by BJP ex-MLA Shailenra Pradhan to acquire land for development of cycle track at Ahmedpur on Hoshangabad Road. The cycle track has been caught in a controversy from the beginning as BJP leader and former mayor Krishna Gaur had dropped the idea of developing it along the BRTS corridor due to simple reason that Bhopal’s terrain is not suitable for cycling. But the present Mayor Alok Sharma of BJP seems to have a special love for bicycles.
A hi-tech cycle track has been developed from RRL Tri-section to Barkatullah University. It has to be extended up to Misrod and land is being acquired for it. Many pucca constructions have been dismantled to acquire five meter broad strip of land along the BRTS corridor. However, cycle track has been developed on the space meant for ducts for pipelines and cables. Previously, BMC anti-encroachment squad had to return empty-handed due to stiff protests of Ahmedpur residents including BJP ex-MLA Shailendra Pradhan. Villagers argued that why BMC was acquiring more land in Ahmedpur than it had done in Vidya Nagar and other colonies on the same road. Earlier land was acquired for development of service lane. But it has not been constructed so far at many places.
Cycle track has no utility: Pradhan
Talking to The Free Press Journal Shailendra Pradhan said, “My point is that BMC administration should be even-handed. The area of land to be acquired should not be different at different places. Secondly, when cycle is not fit for commuting in Bhopal, what is the use of razing constructions in the name of cycle track. As BJP leader, I cannot say much but whatever is being done is not just”.
