Bhopal traders have stepped up their protest against the municipal corporation’s notices and sealing action on commercial activities being carried out in residential areas. At a demonstration at Roshanpura Square on Tuesday, traders warned the state government of an indefinite shutdown if the action is not stopped or a clear policy is brought in.

The traders said they have three options for the government — implement the pending master plan, introduce mixed land use on the lines of Gujarat, or stop the municipal corporation’s sealing drive. If no decision is taken, they warned of blocking roads and gheraoing the Chief Minister’s residence. The protest brought together shopkeepers, business owners and, for the first time, a number of beauticians who said their livelihoods could be affected if commercial activities in residential areas are stopped.

Anand Soni, president of the 10 Number Market Traders Federation, said traders should be allowed to continue earning their livelihood and accused the government of putting the jobs of thousands of people at risk. He argued that the situation could have been avoided if Bhopal’s master plan had been updated earlier. The city has been without a new master plan since 2005, according to the claims raised during the protest.

Some traders said they are already dealing with loans and other expenses. Rahul Jain, a businessman from the Housing Board area, questioned why traders were now being targeted when authorities had issued commercial electricity connections, registered properties and collected taxes from them. He said closure of the businesses would directly affect their families and make it difficult to pay school fees and meet other household expenses.

Senior advocate Ehtesham Qureshi, who spoke about the legal background of the issue, said the Supreme Court has passed orders concerning commercial activity in residential areas. He argued that the absence of a new master plan has contributed to the current situation and said the state government could consider measures such as mixed land use and regularisation, subject to the applicable legal framework.

The municipal corporation, meanwhile, has continued issuing notices. A total of 7,158 notices have been issued so far, including 569 issued on Tuesday. The figure stood at 6,589 on Monday. Officials have said properties found to be violating occupancy rules will go through the prescribed process before final orders are issued.

Municipal officials said around 62,000 properties have been identified through the survey where commercial activity is being carried out in residential areas. The survey has now been expanded across the city. Officials are also checking other violations involving construction and land use, with areas around major roads, lanes, rivers, ponds, green belts, buffer zones and catchment areas coming under scrutiny.

The corporation has said notices are being followed by a three-day period in certain cases before further proceedings. After examining the merits of individual cases and hearing the concerned parties, final orders can be issued. Action to remove violations may follow where required.

The issue has created uncertainty among shopkeepers operating from residential buildings in areas including Awadhpuri, Ayodhya Bypass, Gautam Nagar, Ashoka Garden and Lalghati. Some business owners are already looking for alternative commercial locations, worried that their present premises could eventually be sealed.

Bhopal’s master plan issue has also become part of the dispute. The city’s previous master plan was prepared in 1995, while a new plan was expected in 2005. With the city continuing to expand towards areas such as Kolar, Neelbad-Ratibad, Raisen Road and the Narmadapuram-Bhojpur corridor, residential and commercial activities have developed alongside each other in several parts of Bhopal.

For traders, the immediate demand is clear — stop or reconsider the sealing action and provide a workable land-use policy. For the corporation, the issue is now linked to compliance with court directions and planning rules. The dispute is likely to continue as notices are examined and further action is taken across the city.