BHOPAL: Residents of the state capital are not impressed with the new master plan of Bhopal.
They allege that it has been prepared in violation of the environmental norms and it will ruin the greenery and lakes.
City’s residents also maintain that the green belt around the Upper Lake and Kaliyasot is at risk, if the plan is implemented.
The plan allows use of Kaliyasot forest land under PSP mode, and that is against the rules, said a resident.
On one hand the green belt at Upper Lake and Kaliyasot will be ruined due to construction and on the other hand the master plan fails to provide any relief from traffic congestion.
The residents also say that they will challenge the master plan through and if their concerns are not heard, they will also approach the court to seek relief.
Voice Of Bhopal convener Vikas Bondria says the master plan overlooks the plight of commuters as there is no provision for relief from congestion in areas like MP Nagar and in old Bhopal.
He said the planners forgot to put provisions for sub ways at the sites which the Bhopal smart city is developing. He said es Boulevard Street in Mata mandir area where the pedestrians will have trouble.
He says green belt around Upper Lake is already shrinking and after the plan is implemented it is likely to get worse.
Rashid Noor Khan, a wildlife activist the master plan will be challenged in the court as there was an order of National Green Tribunal (NGT) for mapping of the entire Kaliyasot area and all the land having a forest cover, should be handed over to the forest department.
Now, if there is a development on the land, before the mapping is done it will be questionable, he said.
The Kaliyasot has dense forest area and that has to be saved, he said.
