HC questions delay in Jabalpur master plan implementation:Orders govt to decide within 8 weeks, submit report after builders association raises concerns

The Madhya Pradesh High Court has taken a strict view of the delay in implementing Jabalpur’s master plan and directed the state government to take a decision within eight weeks and submit a report. The order came during a hearing on a petition filed by Builders’ Association member Deepak Agrawal on Saturday. Master plan expired in 2021, no new plan yet The petition stated that Jabalpur’s master plan expired in 2021, and even after several years, a new plan has not been implemented. During the hearing, the state government informed the court that the matter is under consideration and that a decision would be taken soon. Expressing displeasure, the court questioned why the plan had not been published despite being sent for printing and objections being invited. The court directed the government to take a final decision and move forward with the process. Builders suffer due to lack of new approvals The petitioner argued that builders are facing significant losses due to the absence of an updated master plan. In 2014, around 150 villages were merged into the municipal corporation limits, but no master plan has been implemented for these areas to date. As a result, no new projects are being approved, leading to arbitrary and illegal construction in violation of rules. The absence of a proper master plan is also causing revenue losses to the government. Delay despite plan sent for publication According to information obtained under the Right to Information Act, the Director of Town and Country Planning had sent the master plan for publication on January 31, 2026, under Section 18 of the relevant planning law. However, it has not yet been published. Advocate Dinesh Upadhyay, representing the petitioner, told the court that despite three months having passed, the administration has failed to take concrete steps. He emphasized that the delay in implementing the master plan is adversely affecting the city’s development and urged for its immediate enforcement.