Ahead of an encroachment drive in Motinagar Basti, shopkeepers began vacating their stores on Friday, even before official proceedings had begun. The demolition, part of a project to widen the Subhash Nagar Bridge, will impact around 300 houses and over 100 permanent shops in the area. Following a police announcement made on Thursday night, urging locals to remove their belongings voluntarily, many shopkeepers started clearing out by early Friday morning. Despite this, some shop owners have remained opposed to the move.

 

The drive, initially set for February 4, was postponed due to shortage of police personnel. On Thursday, senior officials, including ADM Prakash Nayak and MP Nagar SDM L K Khare, visited the area for an inspection. After discussions with local authorities, several shopkeepers began shifting their goods, but a few locals are still resisting the move. Bhopal Municipal Corporation’s (BMC) Encroachment Officer Shailendra Singh Bhadoria confirmed that the BMC is ready to proceed but is waiting for formal instructions from the administration. MP Nagar SDM L K Khare mentioned that, although there was initial resistance, most residents had agreed to vacate by the deadline set for Friday night, with a one-day extension possible if needed.