Public hearings on approximately 13,000 objections to Bhopal Master Plan 2047 will begin on November 16 at the new Huzur Tehsil building in Lalghati, giving residents, farmers and other affected stakeholders a 90-day window to present their concerns before the proposed plan is finalised.
Additional District Magistrate Prakash Nayak and officials from the Town and Country Planning department will oversee the hearings. Objectors will be able to make representations in person, while video conferencing facilities will be available for those unable to attend the proceedings physically.
The process follows a meeting attended by Bhopal MP Alok Sharma, MLAs and other public representatives to discuss how objections to the draft plan should be reviewed. Sharma suggested grouping similar objections so that common concerns could be considered collectively and the process could move more efficiently.
At the same time, the meeting stressed that grouping issues should not prevent individual objectors from being heard. Sharma emphasised that every objector must receive a fair opportunity to present their views before the proposed Master Plan 2047 is completed.
The number of objections reflects the scale of public engagement with the draft plan. More than 16,000 objections were submitted through online and offline channels before the October 25 deadline. After scrutiny, around 3,000 duplicate submissions were removed because some individuals had raised the same issue through both platforms. Approximately 13,000 objections therefore remain for consideration.
The objections will be examined during the 90-day hearing period, with the proceedings expected to bring residents and landholders into the formal decision-making process for Bhopal’s long-term spatial development. The availability of video conferencing is intended to provide an additional route for participation beyond attendance at the Huzur Tehsil building.
Master plans determine the framework within which urban growth, land use and infrastructure decisions are assessed. In Bhopal’s case, the hearing process will establish how the concerns recorded against the draft plan are placed before the authorities and considered before the document is finalised.
The hearings will begin on November 16 at the new Huzur Tehsil building in Lalghati and continue for 90 days under the supervision of the ADM and Town and Country Planning officials.
