Bhopal and Indore to become metropolitan cities, new law in works

The Madhya Pradesh government is drafting a new law to develop metropolitan regions in the state. Indore and Bhopal will lead the way. Each city will include five nearby districts in its metropolitan area.

Chief Minister Mohan Yadav reviewed the plan in a meeting on Monday. The Urban Administration and Housing Department has been told to prepare the draft for the Madhya Pradesh Metropolitan Planning and Development Act 2025. Officials will submit the draft to a committee headed by the chief secretary within a week. After approval, the bill will be introduced in the Assembly's monsoon session.

He said connecting the two metropolitan areas will help develop a large part of the state in a planned and coordinated way.

Dr. Mohan Yadav added that the government will include suggestions from public representatives in the planning and execution. He also pointed out that earlier meetings with public representatives have already taken place to discuss the development of these regions.

Indore metropolitan area

Indore’s metropolitan region will include the districts of Indore, Dewas, Ujjain, Dhar, and Shajapur. The area will cover about 9,000 square kilometers, with 29 tehsils and 1,756 villages. Around 55 lakh people live in this area.

The government is considering names like Indore-Ujjain, Malwa, and Avantika Metropolitan Area. "Avantika" is the current front-runner, but the name is not final yet.

Indore’s metropolitan region will connect to the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor. The state plans to boost business and industry in this zone, helping nearby industrial areas like Dewas, Pithampur, and Badnawar attract investment.

The Metropolitan Development Authority will oversee planning and development.

Bhopal metropolitan area

The Bhopal metropolitan region will include Bhopal, Sehore, Raisen, Vidisha, and Biaora (Rajgarh). The Bhopal Development Authority will manage the project.

Under the previous government, the cabinet had already extended the Metro Rail project to Mandideep, laying the groundwork for metropolitan development.

Proposed names for the Bhopal region include Madhya Pradesh State Capital Region, Bhopal Metropolitan Area, and Bhojpal Metropolitan Area.

The new law will formally establish a Metropolitan Development Authority and a Metropolitan Planning Committee. These bodies will oversee development and manage the functioning of the metropolitan areas.

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