Continuing the anti-encroachment campaign on the second day, the district administration and Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) razed 110 encroachments at Bhadbhada dam site in front of Hotel Taj on Thursday. Out of 386 encroachments, administration had already demolished 30 illegal structures at the site on February 21. Officials said that all encroachments have been removed with the consent of encroachers and they have been given three options either to accept the compensation amount, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana or relocation in Chandbad area of Old Bhopal. On Friday, the administration will be dismantling 246 remaining encroachments. Talking to ‘The Hitavada’ over phone, District Collector Kaushlendra Vikram Singh said, “We have demolished 110 encroachments on Thursday with the consent of encroachers. People have been convinced and BMC vehicles helped them in shifting. Some of them have been given compensation amount and some have been allotted patta in Chandpur. Remaining 246 encroachments will be removed on Friday.”

 

Over 500 policemen were deployed at the site and main gate towards Bhadbhada slum was closed with barricades. No one was allowed to move towards Bhadbhada Square to the slum gate. Barricades were placed at one km of distance from Bhadbhada gate. Many people reached with food and other essential items for their relatives but no one was allowed to cross the barricades. Encroachers made various allegations on authorities and cited various examples to exempt them from the campaign. Many of them pleaded that this is the oldest slum of Bhopal and they are living on the location since 100 years. Officials of BMC said, NGT, back to back, had given orders to take action against these human settlements, illegal constructions especially in the vicinity of water bodies.