BHOPAL: The residents in Bhopal fail to explain what benefits they are going to get after the bifurcation of Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC), though only three days are left for submission of suggestions, claims and objections on the issue.
Few said the decision of the state government was not taken after talks with the residents, the others who are not opposed to it, want to give it a try to see if we really have any benefits with it.
Mukhtar Khan, a 92-year-old freedom fighter says that there has been no improvement or development in old parts of Bhopal and the focus was always made on new areas. Now, the government is experimenting for some change then we should hope for some better, he says. With an additional corporation, it is likely that we will have all the offices in our vicinity, he says. He says that we have to experiment with the present to have something better in the future and we should hope for the best. Khan has taken part in the quit India movement and was arrested at the time. He is one of the few living freedom fighters in Bhopal.
Owner of Agrawal Poori Bhandar, a shop in old Bhopal established in 1947, Sanjay Agrawal said decision in no way will benefit us and rather we will have to run only from pillar to post to get our work done, if we live somewhere else and work in some other area. He says we are living here for many years and have never felt any trouble due to the civic issues, as we have to contact with our corproator or zonal level authorities. If another body is formed, then in all likelihood our ward will also undergo delimitation and then it will lead to some trouble for us, he added.
Another resident of Bhopal Shailendra Singh Baghel says that city has witnessed a series of transformations in few years now, but have you seen that there was any benefit of it.
He says the regional bodies should be empowered if we need any development to be taken up in the areas that suffer.