Indore’s cantonment road expansion finally gets approval:12-year delay ends as 60-foot-wide road project moves ahead

The way for constructing the 80-foot wide master plan road from Madhumilan Square to Jagannath Bridge in the cantonment was cleared on Friday. Efforts to remove obstacles here had been ongoing for 12 years. At 7 AM on Friday, teams from the municipal corporation, administration, and police arrived at the cantonment. Seeing the movement of JCB-Poclain machines in the area, residents were thrown into a frenzy. Some people started calling MLAs, councillors, public representatives, and high officials to ask for a reprieve. Meanwhile, some argued with officials, saying that they had arrived suddenly without prior notice. “We will suffer a lot of loss,” they said. Municipal officials told the residents, “It’s been 15 days, you haven’t even started vacating the obstructing parts, let alone removing the constructions. Now no more reprieve will be given.” With this, the removal operation started from the direction of the medicine market. In a matter of hours, this 900-meter road was transformed into a pile of debris. Additional Commissioner Abhay Rajangaonkar said, action has been taken on 124 houses. Currently, there is a court stay on 5 houses, and the administration is discussing with the concerned community to remove a part of a religious place. Soon, after getting the stay dismissed, these will be removed and work will begin. During the action, Municipal Commissioner Kshitij Singhal also arrived. Additional Commissioners Prakhar Singh, Akash Singh, SDM Ghanshyam Dhanger, and police officers were present. Public representatives kept moving around. No one came forward during the action. With the construction of this road, commuting from RNT Marg to Sapna-Sangeeta, Cantonment Grain Market, and Naulakha will become easier. Kept fighting for every single foot of land Suresh Agrawal said, “The houses are very old. Operate the machine slowly. You are operating the claw for 10 feet, and a 15-16 feet section is breaking off.” The owner of the house near the bank even made a video. He said that more than the marked portion was arbitrarily demolished. Residents struggled for every single foot. People also alleged that MIC member Manish Sharma Mama’s construction was also in the demolition zone, but less of it was demolished. Road to be built in two parts; storm, drainage, and water lines to be laid This road will be built in two parts; the first part will be built up to Mangilal Dudhwala’s shop, and then it will be extended further. Along with debris removal, work on storm water lines, drainage, and water lines will begin. 50-50 rupee notes started flying, staff picked them up and returned them In a house on the LIC Building line, the door of a cupboard opened when a JCB’s claw hit it. There were 50-50 rupee notes kept in the cupboard. As it opened, the notes started flying, and people ran to pick them up. Later, the notes were collected by forming a circle. The homeowner said that more than one lakh rupees were kept in the cupboard. If removed from 80 feet, 221 houses would be affected This road is 80 feet. Officials said that permission to build houses would only be granted according to 80 feet. Currently, action is being taken according to 60 feet. 221 houses are in the road’s path. Many of these houses have been newly built after taking permission. There will be space in front of them. The road will be built only within 60 feet. Residents say that at 80 feet, many houses would have been completely demolished. During the action, two dangerous houses located at the intersection also collapsed. A part of Jagannath Dharamshala is also being demolished as it falls within the road’s path. Benefits of road construction With the construction of this road, commuting from RNT Marg to Sapna-Sangeeta, Cantonment Grain Market, and Naulakha will become easier. What’s next Now action will be taken between Sarwate Bus Stand and GPO Square; the corporation’s preparations are complete, this will also be widened to 60 feet. Three attempts in 12 years, obstructive constructions removed in the fourth attempt