Drive to remove encroachments at Upper Lake restarts: 9 shops razed

Bhopal: Nine shops near a mosque were demolished in Bhadbhada as the drive to clear encroachments within the no-construction zone of the Upper Lake resumed on Monday in the city.The move came four days after, when on last Thursday, Bhopal Municipal Corporation's anti-encroachment team faced strong resistance while attempting to clear shops at Bhadbhada intersection along the Upper Lake. The drive was taken up by the district administration after NGT orders.Monday's action, was led by TT Nagar SDM Archana Sharma and backed by over 50 police personnel, also vacated two illegal houses, reclaiming government land worth an estimated Rs 3 crore, officials said.Officials said a survey identified 117 encroachments in TT Nagar, including 68 on govt land and 49 on private plots, with hotels and restaurants among them. Hearings are underway following notices issued to property owners.In Bairagarh, 266 structures — ranging from villas and bungalows to slum dwellings — have been marked for removal. SDM Ravishankar Rai clarified that constructions predating March 16, 2022, with valid permissions, will be exempt from the drive.Collector Kaushalendra Vikram Singh warned of strict action against those erasing red markings placed by the administration, urging residents without approvals to voluntarily dismantle their structures.