Bhopal Demolition Drive Resumes at Upper Lake's FTL Zone After 37-Day Gap Nine shops and two houses razed in Prempura; administration warns of phased action against 347 encroachments across Bhoj Wetland buffer area

Bulldozers Return to Bhadbhada

Bhopal's anti-encroachment machinery rolled back into action on Monday after a 37-day pause, as authorities demolished nine shops and two residential structures in the Prempura locality near Bhadbhada Square — all built within the prohibited 50-metre Full Tank Level (FTL) zone of the Upper Lake, popularly known as Bada Talab.

The three-hour operation, led by TT Nagar SDM Archana Sharma and Tehsildar Kunal Raut, was carried out with a substantial police presence. Two JCB machines and a 35-member joint team from the Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the district administration executed the drive without major incident, according to officials.

Structures Worth Over ₹3 Crore Cleared

The BMC anti-encroachment squad removed all nine structures within approximately two hours, with help of two JCB machines and other equipment. The demolished shops and houses — located adjacent to a mosque on government land — are valued at more than ₹3 crore, calculated at the collector guideline rate of ₹2,788 per square foot.

Shopkeepers had been served notices and given 72 hours to vacate the premises. Anticipating the action, most traders had taken away their goods before the demolition began. Two shopkeepers raised objections on the spot, but officials proceeded after hearing them out, stating that due process had already been completed.

NGT Order Behind the Action

The action was undertaken by the joint team in accordance with the Bhoj Wetland Rules, which prohibit any construction within the specified 50-metre zone of the Upper Lake's FTL. SDM Archana Sharma confirmed the legal basis: "It was NGT's order that structures which are lying in a 50-metre radius of the lake's FTL should be removed."

All constructions raised after March 16, 2022 — when the Bhoj Wetland Rules came into effect — are being treated as unauthorised and are being removed accordingly.

Elderly Couple Gets Reprieve

In a moment that stood out during the otherwise firm operation, SDM Archana Sharma ordered her team to spare one room at Bhadbhada Chowk where an elderly, mobility-impaired couple was residing. Officials were instructed to ensure their welfare, even as surrounding encroachments were cleared.

Scale of the Larger Drive

Authorities confirmed that action on government land will begin immediately, while encroachments on private land will be addressed in a phased manner starting April 10. In the TT Nagar circle alone, 116 encroachments have been identified within the FTL zone — 68 on government land and 48 on private plots. An additional 92 constructions — including hotels, resorts, farmhouses, and commercial units — are under separate investigation, with owners served notices to produce relevant documents.

The heaviest concentration of illegal structures has been found in Sevaniya Gaon, Gaura village, and Bisnakhedi. In the Bairagarh circle, around 220 encroachments have been flagged, with removal efforts reportedly already underway.

Political Controversy Surfaces

The selective nature of the action has drawn criticism from the Congress party. Local leader Shoaib Khan and residents staged a protest, alleging that the drive targeted only small traders while ignoring alleged encroachments of influential individuals who own hotels and bungalows in the lake's catchment area.

Officials have previously marked red lines near the boundary wall of a college linked to MLA Arif Masood, as well as near bungalows of a minister and an IAS officer on VIP Road, indicating that the crackdown extends across political and bureaucratic circles.

What Comes Next

Authorities have indicated that bulldozers will target 347 encroachments across the Bhoj Wetland FTL zone over the next 15 days. The administration has also issued a public warning: those with unauthorised constructions within the buffer area must self-demolish or face official action. This phased Upper Lake encroachment removal drive is being closely watched as a test of whether Bhopal can finally deliver sustained enforcement to protect one of India's most significant Ramsar-designated wetlands.

A massive financial fraud has been uncovered inside the Bhopal Municipal Corporation, with the Lokayukta's Special Police Establishment registering an FIR against the corporation's Additional Commissioner of Finance and several other officials. The accused allegedly ran a sophisticated fake billing operation through the corporation's SAP software, siphoning crores of rupees into accounts of fictitious firms linked to their own relatives and acquaintances.

How the Scam Worked

The fraud was built on a simple but brazen mechanism. Gunwant Sewatkar, the Additional Commissioner handling the Finance department of Bhopal Municipal Corporation, along with other employees, allegedly created fake e-bills for work that was never carried out.

These fabricated bills were generated across three key departments — the Central Workshop also known as the Motor Workshop, the Water Works Department, and the General Administration Department. Once the fake bills were created, they were entered into the corporation's financial system using SAP software — the same enterprise software meant to ensure transparency and accountability in government billing.

After the entries were made in the system, large sums of money were transferred directly into accounts of fake firms. These firms were allegedly linked to the personal network of the accused, including acquaintances and relatives.

Lokayukta Raids Server Room, Seizes SAP Hard Disk

Acting on the findings, Lokayukta police obtained a search warrant from the court and conducted a detailed raid at the Bhopal Municipal Corporation's server centre. The hard disk containing the SAP software data was seized, as investigators believe it holds crucial digital records of the fraudulent transactions.

The raid and seizure of the server data marks a significant step in establishing a digital evidence trail of the scam, making it harder for the accused to deny or destroy records of the fake billing entries.

Additional Commissioner Removed Just Before Budget

Following the Lokayukta FIR and the confirmation of his involvement, Gunwant Sewatkar was stripped of his Finance department charge by the Municipal Commissioner. The removal came just days before the corporation's budget was scheduled to be presented — a timing that has drawn significant attention.

The Finance portfolio has been handed over to another officer. The abrupt transfer at such a financially sensitive time has raised questions about how long the fraud had been ongoing and whether it could have affected budget planning and fund allocations for the current financial year.

Part of a Larger Pattern at BMC

This latest FIR is not the first time Bhopal Municipal Corporation has found itself at the centre of a corruption investigation. Earlier in March 2026, a separate scam related to the Sambal Yojana — a welfare scheme — had surfaced at the same corporation. An officer had been suspended in that case, and FIRs were registered against 17 individuals. The Lokayukta's Special Police Establishment was already investigating that matter when this fresh fake billing fraud came to light.

The back-to-back scandals at one of Madhya Pradesh's most prominent civic bodies have intensified scrutiny over internal oversight mechanisms, audit processes, and the role of senior officials in approving payments without adequate verification.

Investigation Underway

The Lokayukta has registered the case under sections related to cheating, forgery, and criminal conspiracy. Further investigation is currently underway to establish the full scale of the fraud, identify all accused, and trace the total amount siphoned through the fake billing network.