Indore Municipal Corporation Demolishes 95 Structures for Road Widening; Residents Protest

The Indore Municipal Corporation demolished nearly 95 residential and commercial structures on Monday as part of a road-widening project in the Sadar Bazaar area. The operation, involving over 100 anti-encroachment squad members and heavy police deployment, completely destroyed 15 houses affecting 19 families. The aim was to widen the stretch between Gutkeshwar Temple and Sadar Bazaar Road to 60 feet.

Residents expressed anguish over the demolition, with many alleging inadequate compensation and lack of rehabilitation options. A 65-year-old widow stated her ancestral home of four generations was razed without proper support, while another resident saw her house reduced to a six-foot-wide kitchen. Families demanded alternative housing arrangements before displacement.

The Additional Municipal Commissioner stated that 19 families from fully demolished houses would be provided flats, though details remained unclear.