Leader of Opposition in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, Umang Singhar, criticized the state government for intentionally stalling key urban master plans. Singhar targeted the Mohan Yadav government, questioning the delay in implementing master plans for major cities like Indore, Bhopal, and Gwalior. He expressed concern over the prolonged delay causing hardships for residents and attributed the hold-up to internal conflicts within the government.
Singhar alleged that an internal power struggle between the Chief Minister and Urban Affairs Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya has hindered the approval process. He emphasized the lack of autonomy in urban administration and the absence of decisive actions, resulting in significant delays in finalizing master plans for major cities. Singhar highlighted the detrimental impact of these delays, noting the unchecked growth of illegal colonies amid the bureaucratic impasse.
The Congress leader pointed out the prolonged clearance process for master plans of cities like Indore and Bhopal, contrasting it with the unchecked expansion of unauthorized settlements. Singhar called for a resolution to the conflicts within the government, urging either full empowerment of ministers or their resignation to prevent public projects from being compromised due to internal discord.
Responding to questions in the Assembly, Urban Affairs Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya disclosed that draft master plans had been submitted to the Chief Minister’s Office over a year and a half ago. However, the final approval is pending, awaiting the Chief Minister’s decision. The debate on urban development arose following concerns raised by Congress MLA Jaivardhan Singh regarding the prolonged delay in finalizing Bhopal’s master plan, which had expired nearly two decades ago.
