600 homes face demolition in Bhopal:Families stage protest at Collectorate, demand rehabilitation before eviction begins

Residents of the Madhya Pradesh Housing Board colony in Aishbagh, Bhopal, staged a protest on Tuesday against the proposed demolition of nearly 600 houses that have been declared unsafe. Amid the ongoing monsoon, residents gathered at the Collectorate and appealed to the district administration to halt the demolition, saying the move would leave hundreds of families homeless. Residents, Congress leaders stage protest outside Collectorate The affected families, led by Congress leader Manoj Shukla, reached the Collectorate and staged a sit-in protest outside the main gate. Shukla opposed the proposed action, stating that evicting nearly 600 families during the rainy season without a concrete rehabilitation or alternative housing arrangement was inhumane and unjust. He said many of the residents have been living in the colony with their families for decades. Residents demand rehabilitation before demolition The protesters said they were not opposed to development or public safety but insisted that demolition should not take place without proper rehabilitation. They argued that carrying out the exercise without sufficient notice or a rehabilitation policy would severely affect hundreds of elderly residents, women and school-going children. The residents urged the administration to first provide permanent alternative accommodation before proceeding with any demolition. “We are not against development” Speaking during the protest, residents said they support development and safety measures but opposed being displaced without suitable arrangements. They said forcing families onto the streets during the monsoon reflected administrative insensitivity and vowed to continue their peaceful and legal protest until every affected resident is provided with proper housing. Youth Congress Bhopal president Amit Khatri, along with Sandeep Sarvaiya, Amjad Lala, Mohammad Aamir and Akbar Khan, was also present during the protest.