BHOPAL: Plans for the master development of Bhopal and Indore are currently on hold as the Madhya Pradesh government aims to finalize metropolitan region strategies for the two cities, as confirmed by a state minister earlier this week.
The plans were completed approximately a year and a half ago but may be revised to align with forthcoming metropolitan area proposals. Urban development and housing minister Kailash Vijayvargiya shared these updates with the state assembly on February 24.
“Our department finished the master plan about a year and a half ago; it is ready,” Vijayvargiya mentioned. He also noted recent discussions with Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, who suggested a review of the plans to align with a metropolitan vision. “Let’s first understand his vision; if he advises us to remake it, we will do so. We’ve already prepared it and will consult with the CM,” he added.
The delay follows the Madhya Pradesh cabinet’s approval on May 20, 2025, for the Madhya Pradesh Metropolitan Region Planning and Development Act 2025. This act establishes metropolitan planning committees and development authorities for two primary regions: Indore-Ujjain-Dewas-Dhar and Bhopal-Sehore-Raisen-Vidisha-Biaora (Rajgarh). These authorities are tasked with creating integrated development plans tailored to each region’s geographic and economic needs, with potential expansions to these areas.
The government’s announcement came shortly after a report from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) was presented in the assembly on February 20, which criticized the absence of current master plans. The CAG’s 2025 report on town and country planning pointed out that only two Bhopal Development Plans had been approved since 1975 — in 1991 and 2005 — leading to inadequate management of population growth. It also indicated that the draft Bhopal Development Plan-2031 was returned in February 2024 after a 36-month delay, with no updated draft submitted since.
“The outdated Bhopal Development Plan 2005 continues to be the standard,” the report cautioned. “As a result, it may not address the current development needs efficiently.”
