Bhopal Municipal Corporation's Sealing Drive Faces Bias Charge As Minister's Kin's Boutique Allegedly Spared
· Free Press Journal
Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Bhopal Municipal Corporation's (BMC) sealing drive against illegal commercial establishments in residential areas drew fresh criticism on Sunday, with officials allegedly sparing a designer clothing boutique operated by the daughter-in-law of an influential minister in Arera Colony while preparing a panchnama only in the name of the owner of the ground-floor electronics showroom.
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According to information, BMC officials visited the building at 10 No. Market. A designer clothing boutique is being run by the minister's daughter-in-law from the first and second floors above an electronics showroom owned by Vishwash Chaturvedi.
Although the premises had come under scrutiny after reopening following Saturday's voluntary closure, officials neither sealed the boutique nor prepared a panchnama in its name.
Instead, the panchnama was prepared only in the name of the electronics shop owner, and officials left after issuing a verbal warning, according to residents.
Only two sealed out of 101 panchnamas
On Saturday, the BMC sealed only two establishments in Rohit Nagar before suspending the drive after traders assured voluntary closure. Nearly 200 establishments shut temporarily, but several reopened by evening.
According to BMC data, 429 violations were identified during the first phase of the survey - 169 in Arera Colony and 260 in Rohit Nagar.
Notices were issued to all, while a second survey identified more than 1,250 additional suspected violations across other parts of the city.
Despite this, only two establishments have been sealed, while 101 premises were covered through voluntary closure or panchnamas.
Residents allege selective enforcement
Resident associations led by complainant Vivek Tripathi staged a protest in the Gautam Nagar area on Sunday, alleging the BMC was selectively enforcing Supreme Court-directed action while sparing influential violators.
They claimed many businesses reopened within hours after temporarily closing and said these facts would be placed before the Supreme Court during the next hearing on Aug 4.
Deputy municipal commissioner Bhuvan Gupta told Free Press that sealing action would be initiated if commercial activities continued.
Ex-Bhopal commissioner joins protest
Former Bhopal Commissioner Kavindra Kiyawat also joined the protest march, urging residents to unite against illegal commercial activities.
Prayas president Aparna Vashishth alleged that despite Supreme Court directions, the BMC largely pasted closure notices outside establishments instead of taking actual sealing action. “It is a paper-based exercise,” he added.
Bhopal Municipal Corporation To Begin Sealing Illegal Commercial Units In Residential Areas From Today