No Suitable Site Identified After 45 Days
Even after 45 days of efforts, the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) has yet to identify a suitable site for relocating slums under the ‘Slum Free Bhopal’ scheme. Both the district administration and BMC are still conducting surveys to find viable locations for relocating slum dwellers.
Rejected Proposal for Vallabh Nagar Relocation
In November 2024, the Department of Urban Development and Housing (UAD) rejected a proposal to relocate the Vallabh Nagar slum to the Shaurya Smarak site under the ‘Jhuggi-Mukt Bhopal’ plan. Instead, UAD directed BMC to consider locations such as Ban Ganga for the relocation.
Goals of the Scheme
The ‘Slum Free Bhopal’ initiative aims to rehabilitate urban poor and slum dwellers by:
- Utilizing land resources efficiently.
- Engaging private developers through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model.
- Monetizing slum lands in prime locations to fund development.
- Constructing approximately 3 lakh houses over the next five years.
Under the scheme, private developers will handle housing construction for slum dwellers, create commercial spaces to ensure project viability, and manage the expenses for housing provisions and rehabilitation during the transition phase.
Challenges in Relocation and Re-densification
- Survey Work in Progress
Udit Garg, BMC Superintending Engineer, stated that survey work is ongoing but highlighted the difficulty in relocating slums while attempting re-densification at the same site. - Large Number of Slums
Mayor-in-Council RK Baghel noted that there are around 10,000 slums across three major locations—Bhim Nagar, Om Nagar, and Vallabh Nagar. He suggested a phased approach, moving slum dwellers from one area to another for re-densification. - Complexity of Site Identification
The search for alternative sites continues to delay the process, with authorities unable to find a viable solution that accommodates the project’s goals and addresses the challenges of displacement.
Next Steps
BMC and the district administration are under pressure to expedite the site identification process and finalize a practical relocation strategy. The successful execution of the ‘Slum Free Bhopal’ scheme depends on efficient planning, community engagement, and collaboration with private developers to ensure smooth transitions and sustainable urban development.
