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The Bhopal Municipal Corporation has flagged over 1,200 buildings as structurally unsafe-up from 450 last year-prompting evacuation notices to around 700 households, especially in old city areas like Aishbagh. Legal disputes over property rights and political pushback have stalled repairs and demolitions, even as monsoon risks loom. Many unsafe buildings obstruct stormwater channels or sit atop drainage lines, worsening flood management in a city already prone to waterlogging. Experts warn that unchecked urbanisation and encroachments over historical water bodies have left Bhopal ill-equipped for seasonal rains. Despite annual warnings, slow enforcement and infrastructure neglect continue to hinder meaningful action.
In a worrying development earlier this week, Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) flagged more than 1,200 buildings across the city as structurally dangerous, marking a sharp increase from the approximately 450 identified during the last structural survey. Officials have already issued evacuation notices to around 700 households, focusing primarily on old Bhopal localities and densely populated pockets like Aishbagh, where many buildings date back over a century. Advertisement
These deteriorating structures, mostly situated in cramped lanes and heritage areas, remain occupied despite repeated warnings. The primary hurdle, according to civic authorities, stems from protracted legal disputes over tenancy rights and property ownership, which have delayed both repair and demolition. Although last year BMC attempted to disconnect water and electricity connections in high-risk structures to pressure occupants to vacate, many of these actions were reversed following political interventions.
The identification of dangerous buildings forms part of the annual pre-monsoon safety drive. However, officials admitted that demolition work is yet to begin in most cases due to court-imposed restrictions. A senior engineer from the BMC stated that they are continuing to serve notices and are urging residents to evacuate well before heavy rains intensify.
Urban development experts have highlighted a deeper concern: these unsafe buildings also worsen Bhopal?s already fragile flood management system. Many of them block natural stormwater channels or lie along clogged drainage lines. Combined with unchecked urbanisation and construction over the city's historical water bodies, this has led to widespread waterlogging even during moderate rainfall. The season's first showers, just a few days ago, already resulted in flooding in several low-lying areas, revealing how unprepared the city remains year after year.
The current situation echoes past concerns. In previous monsoon seasons, BMC had identified around 400 to 450 dangerous structures, yet little was done in terms of enforcement. Each year, the city also struggles with overflowing drains, broken road surfaces, and submerged underpasses, exacerbated by poorly maintained infrastructure and slow civic response.
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