- Environment Ministry denies permission
Bhopal – The plan to construct a flyover over Bhopal’s iconic Upper Lake (Bada Talab) has been rejected by the Ministry of Environment and Forests, dealing a major setback to the city’s traffic decongestion strategy. In response, the Madhya Pradesh Road Development Corporation (MPRDC) is now exploring alternative routes to ease the city’s growing traffic woes.
The original proposal envisioned an eight-lane road parallel to VIP Road, with nearly 6 kilometers of the flyover stretching directly across the Upper Lake. The ambitious project also included the construction of over 300 supporting pillars within the lake area.
What was the original plan?
The flyover project was designed in three phases:
A 2.8 km stretch from Roshanpura Square to Kamla Park
Followed by a 3.4 km elevated corridor from Kamla Park to Khanugaon
And finally, an extension from Khanugaon to the State Hangar near Gandhi Nagar
One of the key objectives was to clear encroachments in the buffer zone of the lake while enhancing connectivity along this critical stretch of the city.
However, due to environmental concerns and the ecological sensitivity of the Upper Lake, which is a protected water body and a crucial part of Bhopal’s ecosystem, the central ministry has refused clearance for the project.
