Bhopal (/boʊˈpɑːl/; ISO: Bhōpāla, Hindi:[bʱoːpaːl]ⓘ) is the capital city of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh and the administrative headquarters of both Bhopal district and Bhopal division.[10][11] It is known as the City of Lakes,[12] due to presence of various natural and artificial lakes near the city boundary. It is also one of the greenest cities in India.[13] It is the 16th largest city in India and 131st[14] in the world. After the formation of Madhya Pradesh, Bhopal was part of the Sehore district. It was bifurcated in 1972 and a new district, Bhopal, was formed. Flourishing around 1707, the city was the capital of the former Bhopal State, a princely state of the British ruled by the Nawabs of Bhopal until India's independence in 1947.
Bhopal has a strong economic base with numerous large and medium industries operating in and around the city. Bhopal is considered as one of the important financial and economic destinations in Madhya Pradesh's two strong wealth pillars, the other being Indore. Bhopal's GDP(nominal) was estimated at INR 44,175 crores (2020–21) by the Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Madhya Pradesh.
A Y-class city,[15] Bhopal houses various educational and research institutions and installations of national importance, including ISRO's Master Control Facility,[16]BHEL and AMPRI. Bhopal is home to a large number of institutes of National Importance in India, namely, IISER, MANIT, SPA, AIIMS, NLIU, IIFM, NIFT, NIDMP and IIIT (currently functioning from a temporary campus inside MANIT).
The city attracted international attention in December 1984 after the Bhopal disaster, when a Union Carbide pesticide manufacturing plant (now owned by Dow Chemical Company) leaked a mixture of deadly gases composed mainly of methyl isocyanate, leading to the worst industrial disaster in history.[17] The Bhopal disaster continues to be a part of the socio-political debate and a logistical challenge for the people of Bhopal.[18]
Bhopal was selected as one of the first twenty Indian cities (the first phase) to be developed as a smart city the Smart Cities Mission.[19] Bhopal was also rated as the cleanest state capital city in India for three consecutive years, 2017, 2018 and 2019.[20] Bhopal has also been awarded a 5-star Garbage Free City (GFC) rating, making it the cleanest State capital in the country in 2023.[21]
Bhopal is named after the legendary ancient king Raja Bhoja, with 'Bho' possibly originating from his name. Additionally, 'Pal' signifies 'dam' or 'reservoir,' reflecting the city's abundance of lakes. Therefore, Bhopal's etymology suggests it may mean 'City of Raja Bhoja' or 'City of Lakes,' owing to its historical association with the king and its numerous water bodies.[22]
Bhopal was founded by and named after 11th-century Malwa king Bhoja
According to folklore, Bhopal was founded in the 11th century by the Paramara king Bhoja, who ruled from his capital at Dhar. This theory states that Bhopal was originally known as Bhojpal after a dam (pal) constructed by the king's minister.[4] An alternative theory says that the city is named after another king called Bhupala (or Bhupal).[23][24][25] According to yet another version, Raja Bhoj suffered from leprosy. His physician advised him to build a lake with water from 365 rivers and take daily bath in it. When such a lake was built, it was called Bhoj Tal [or Bhoj's lake]. Gradually people started calling the city Bhojpal, and finally Bhopal.[26]
In the early 17th century, Bhopal was a small village in the Gond kingdom. The modern Bhopal city was established by Dost Mohammad Khan (1660-1726) died at the age of 66,[27] a Pashtun soldier in the Mughal army.[28] After the death of the emperor Aurangzeb, Khan started providing mercenary services to local chieftains in the politically unstable Malwa region. In 1709, he took on the lease of Berasia estate and later annexed several territories in the region to establish the Bhopal State.[29] Khan received the territory of Bhopal from the Gond queen Kamlapati in lieu of payment for mercenary services and usurped her kingdom after her death.[30] In the 1720s, he built the Fatehgarh fort in the village, which developed into the city of Bhopal over the next few decades.
Bhopal became a princely state after signing a treaty (During the reign of Nazar Mohammed Khan 1816–1819) [27] with the British East India Company in 1818.[32] Between 1819 and 1926, the state was ruled by four women, Begums – unique in the royalty of those days – under British suzerainty. Qudsia Begum was the first woman ruler (between 1819 and 1837), who was succeeded by her granddaughter, Shah Jehan. Between the years 1844–1860, when Shah Jehan was a child, her mother Sikandar (only daughter of Qudsia) ruled as regent. Curiously during the 1857 revolt, Sikandar supported the British, for which she was rewarded by proclaiming her as king in 1858. To give her further honour, she was given a 19-gun salute and the Grand Cross of the Star of India. The latter made her equivalent to a British person, who had been granted a knighthood. Thus she became, at that time, the only female knight in the entire British Empire besides Queen Victoria. Among the relatively minor rewards, a territory was restored to her, that she had earlier lost to a neighbouring prince.[26]
Sikandar ruled until 1868, when Shah Jehan succeeded her and was Begum until 1901. In 1901, Shah Jehan's daughter Kaikhusrau Jahan became Begum, ruled until 1926, and was the last of the female line of succession. In 1926, she abdicated in favour of her son, Hamidullah Khan, who ruled until 1947, and was the last of the sovereign Nawabs. The rule of Begums gave the city its waterworks, railways, a postal system, and a municipality constituted in 1907.[33]
Bhopal State was the second-largest Muslim-ruled princely state: the first being Hyderabad. After the independence of India in 1947, the last Nawab expressed his wish to retain Bhopal as a separate unit. Agitations against the Nawab broke out in December 1948, leading to the arrest of prominent leaders including Shankar Dayal Sharma. Later, the political detainees were released, and the Nawab signed the agreement for Bhopal's merger with the Union of India on 30 April 1949.[34] The Bhopal state was taken over by the Union Government of India on 1 June 1949.
The official death toll was initially recorded as around 4,000. A Madhya Pradesh government report stated 3,787 deaths,[35] while other estimates state the fatalities were significantly higher (15,000)[17] from the accident and the medical complications caused by the accident in the weeks and years that followed. The higher estimates have been challenged by Union Carbide, however, medical staff in the city were not able to adequately record data due to the massive influx of patients. The impact of the disaster continues to this day in terms of psychological and neurological disabilities, blindness, skin, vision, breathing, and birth disorders.[36][37][38] Lawyers, academics and journalists have described the disaster as an ecocide.[39][40][41]
The soil and ground water near the factory site have been contaminated by the toxic wastes.[38][42] The Bhopal disaster continues to be the part of the socio-political debate; the clean-up of environmental contamination and rehabilitation of those affected continues to challenge the people of Bhopal.[18]
The centre is seeking a direction to Union Carbide and other firms for ₹78.44 billion additional amount over and above the earlier settlement amount of US$470 million in 1989 for paying compensation to the gas tragedy victims.[43]
The site of the industrial accident is rusting since the day of the disaster and has not been cleared off completely either by DOW Chemicals or government authorities, the site is still storing large quantities of lethal chemicals in underground tanks and overground storages.
Bhopal has an average elevation of 500 metres (1401 ft) and is located in the central part of India, just north of the upper limit of the Vindhya mountain ranges. Located on the Malwa plateau, it is higher than the north Indian plains and the land rises towards the Vindhya Range to the south. The city has uneven elevation and has small hills within its boundaries. The prominent hills in Bhopal are the Idgah, Arera and Shyamala hills in the northern region, together with the Katara hills in the southern region. There are 17 lakes and 5 reservoirs biggest of them are upper lake (Bada Talab) and lower lake.[44] The Upper Lake was built in the 11th century[45] and has a surface area of 36 km2 and catchment area of 361 km2 while the Lower Lake has a surface area of 1.29 km2 and catchment area of 9.6 km2.[46] Recently, Bhopal Municipal Corporation came with a resolution to involve local citizens in cleaning, conserving and maintaining the lakes.[47] Bhopal city is divided into two parts where one part which is near the VIP and lake is Old Bhopal (north) and the other, New Bhopal (south), where malls are mainly situated. List of pin codes from Bhopal is 462001 to 462050 which comes under Bhopal postal division (Bhopal Region).[48]
Bhopal has a humid subtropical climate (Cwa), with cool, dry winters, a hot summer and a humid monsoon season. Summers start in late March and go on until mid-June, the average temperature being around 30 °C (86 °F), with the peak of summer in May, when the highs regularly exceed 40 °C (104 °F) Extreme high in May was 46.7 °C on 19 May 2016 and in June it was 45.9 °C on 7 June 2019. The monsoon starts in late June and ends in late September. These months see about 40 inches (1020 mm) of precipitation, frequent thunderstorms and flooding. The average temperature is around 25 °C (77 °F) and the humidity is quite high. Temperatures rise again up to early November when winter starts, which lasts up to early March. Winters in Bhopal are cool, and not very much comfortable like summers, with average daily temperatures around 18 °C (64 °F). The winter peaks in January when temperatures may drop close to freezing on some nights. Lowest temperature ever recorded was 0.6 °C. Total annual rainfall is about 1101 mm (43.35 inches).
Climate data for Bhopal (Bairaghar) 1991–2020, extremes 1949–present
According to the 2011 census, the population of the Bhopal city (the area under Bhopal Municipal Corporation) is 1,798,218, with 936,168 males and 862,050 females. The population of the Bhopal metropolitan area (the urban agglomeration that extends beyond Bhopal city) was 1,886,100 in 2011.[54] The total effective literacy rate (for population aged 7+ years) was 85.24%, with male and female literacy respectively at 89.2% and 80.1%.[4]
Bhopal is the name of the division, as well as the district and the capital city of the district.[55] The division is headed by the commissioner and additional commissioner for the division.[55] The division has five districts, of which Bhopal is one.[55] Bhopal district administration is headed by the District Magistrate of Bhopal, who is the chief executive officer for the district.[56]
The city is represented in the parliament by Bhopal Lok Sabha constituency, with Alok Sharma from the BJP elected in the 2024 Indian General Election. Bhopal also houses the State Legislative Assembly, or the Vidhan Sabha, which seats 230 members of Legislative Assembly. The sixteenth (and current) Vidhan Sabha was elected in December 2023.[57] As of June 2024[update], the party in the majority in Vidhan Sabha is Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) with 165 seats which is led by Mohan Yadav.[58] Bhopal district elects seven seats to the Assembly, and as per delimitation in 2008,[59] Bhopal city is represented in 6 constituencies:[60]
It is also part of the larger urban agglomeration of Bhopal, with a population of 1,883,381.[61] The first municipal body that governed the municipal population of the city came into being in 1907 in erstwhile Bhopal estate, and was called Majlis-e-intezamia".[62] The first city survey was conducted in 1916 after the enactment of Municipal act.[62] Till 1956, the area under Bhopal Municipal limit was very small, after which surrounding villages were added to it.[62] By 1975, the municipal limit reached 71.23 square km.[62] Bhopal Municipal Council got the status of Municipal Corporation, with total of 56 wards in 1983.[63]
Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) is the urban civic body which oversees the needs of Bhopal city.[62] The municipal corporation follows guidelines under the Madhya Pradesh Municipal Corporation Act, 1956,[64] as well as the Madhya Pradesh Municipalities Act, 1961.[65][66] In 2015, Kolar Municipal Corporation merged with it, after having been split from it earlier.[67] In 2019, it was announced that the corporation would be split again and a proposal was put forth to the urban administration and housing department, which was criticised by the mayor-in-council.[3][68] It also proposed for indirect election of the mayor.[69]
The municipal corporation is spread over an area of 463 km2 (179 sq mi) and has a population of 17,95,648.[2][3][4][70] The city is divided into 14 zones and 85 wards for the purpose of administration, and each ward is represented by a councillor elected for a term of five years.[71][72] The winning party elects a council of members, who are responsible for various departments.[73] Ward committees as well as Mohalla committees have been prescribed by the corporation act.[74] In October 2016, the Pioneer reported the meeting of one ward committee in the city.[75] Madhya Pradesh is one of the few states in India, which uses the Mayor-in-Council (MIC) system and hence the elected representatives of the Bhopal Municipal Corporation are also organised as MIC.[76] There are multiple municipal departments in BMC such as Health and Environment; Education, Social JusticeFood and Culture; Planning and Rehabilitation; Public Relations and Library; Fire Brigade and Transport; Power; Engineering; Revenue and Project; Accounting; JnNURM; M.P.U.S.P and General Administration.[77]
Elections held for 85 wards of Bhopal Municipal Corporation on 6 July 2022 [78] As of September 2020, the reservation of wards has been decided.[79] The present mayor of the city is Malti Rai.[80] In 2019, the state government changed the rules that had applied since 1988, allowing the mayor to be indirectly elected, by elected councillors.[81] V.S.Choudhary Kolsani is the municipal commissioner of the city.[82] Additional municipal commissioner is Shashwant Singh Meena.[83]
The municipality receives income from tax collection, assigned revenue, rental income, fees and user charges, revenue grants, income from investment funds.[84] The budget for the year 2020-21 has been approved as ₹2,495 crore.[85]
Bhopal Development Authority is the apex body for planning and co-ordination of development activities in the Mandhya Pradesh, which consists of Bhopal and its influence area, and was set up in 1976 under the Bhopal Development Authority Act, 1974.[86]
Electricity in Bhopal is distributed by the Madhya Pradesh Madhya Kshetra Vidyut Vitaran Company Limited, the central discom of the state.[87] It is regulated by the state electricity board, the Madhya Pradesh State Electricity Board (MPSEB), which is located in Bhopal.[88] Fire services are provided by the Bhopal Municipal Corporation.[89][90]
Bhopal Municipal Corporation is responsible for planning, constructing and maintaining the water supply system within the city.[91] Natural sources of water are surface water (upper lake, kolar reservoir, narmada river), with a significant portion of the population depending on ground water (tubewells, handpumps) as well as privately owned and unaccounted for dugwells and borewells.[92] According to a study done in 2014, piped water supply in the city covers about 6% of the population;[92] however, irregular and bad quality of water supply is a common complaint in the city.[93]
The system of solid waste disposal in urban areas is governed by the municipality under the Municipal Solid Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules 2000. These rules have been framed under the Environment Protection Act, 1986.[94] The city of Bhopal generates 900 tonnes of solid waste.[95] As of 2018, only 1.5% of this waste is segregated.[96] While the municipality website states that door-to-door collection was started by BMC at each zone and ward level from 15 August 2013,[97]Free Press Journal has reported in 2020 that the civic body has failed in the same.[98] Bhopal has 8 transfer stations, where the garbage collected zone wise is dumped, and without any segregation, the waste is transferred to the Adampur Chhawni landfill site.[98] In 2018, after the National Green Tribunal (NGT) directed the BMC to clean dump at Bhanpur, which activists claim is 80 feet high and has polluted ground water up to 500 metres below, the trenching ground was shifted to Adampur.[99] In 2019, it was announced that India's first e-waste clinic was being set up in Bhopal. BMC along with Central Pollution Control Board came together to establish this clinic which will enable segregation, processing and disposal of waste, both residential and commercial.[100] In January 2020, the clinic was inaugurated for operations. It started initially as a three-month pilot and if the pilot is successful, the clinics will be opened in other places as well.[101]
As of 2017, the city of Bhopal produces 310 MLD of sewage per day, of which only 50 MLD is treated in the 7 Sewage treatment plants that have a capacity of 80 MLD.[102] Most of the sewage reaches water bodies, the Upper and Lower Lake, Motia Lake, Siddique Hasan Lake, Munshi Hussain Khan Lake.[94][103] There are about 800 large drains in Bhopal.[104] About 80% sewerage water mixes with storm water drains main drains include Patra, Mandi and Hataikheda, Jatkhedi.[105]
After a gap of 25 years, the state capital's masterplan 2031 was finally released in March 2020 by the Directorate of Town and Country Planning, Madhya Pradesh. The previous masterplan of 1995 was valid until 2005; and Bhopal had no masterplan between 2005 and 2020.[106] Bhopal Municipal Corporation was ranked 3rd out of 21 Cities for best governance and administrative practices in India in 2014.[107] It scored 3.7 on 10 compared to the national average of 3.3.[108]
Diwali is a major festival in Bhopal. Gifts and sweets are exchanged and donation are made to the poor. Diwali is celebrated by worshiping the wealth goddess Lakshmi. During Ganesh puja and Durga Puja (Navratras), idols of Ganesh and Durga are established in jhankis throughout the city. People throng to offer prayers to their deities. At the end of Navratras, on the day of Vijayadashami (or Dussehra), huge effigies of Ravan are burnt in different parts of the city. Apart from jhankis, annual Durga puja is conducted in a huge way where large idols of mother goddess and pandals are installed and bhog is served. Several cultural programmes and other pujas like Kalipuja, Saraswati puja etc re also conducted.
Eid is also a major festival in Bhopal. Bhopal Ijtema is an annual Muslim world preachers congregation, is held at Eint khedi, 11 km from Bhopal. The annual congregation near Bhopal attracts between 5,00,000 and 10,00,000 Muslims globally.[109]
Bharat Bhavan is the main cultural centre of the city, and hosts many theatre and film festivals every year.[110] It has an art gallery, an open-air amphitheatre facing the Upper Lake, two other theatres and a tribal museum. The Bharat Bhavan as well as the MP Legislative Assembly were designed by Charles Correa.
Nominal GDP of Bhopal District was ₹44,175 crores for the year 2020–21 with a per-capita GDP of ₹1,40,729 as per the Directorate of Economics and Statistics (Madhya Pradesh).[7]
Bhopal's economy is primarily industrial and includes the manufacturing of pharmaceuticals, automobiles, textiles, jewellery, and electronics. Other industries include cotton and flour milling, cloth weaving and painting, as well as making matches, sealing wax, and sporting equipment.[111] The residents of Bhopal also engage in large retail businesses. Handicrafts, like zardozi and batua (a small string purse, usually used with Indian traditional dresses) are some of the products of the Old City.[112]
Bhopal is also home to the DB Corp, informally called the Bhaskar Group (named after its major publication Dainik Bhaskar), a ₹17 billion business conglomerate with a strong presence in media. Its head office is located in Maharana Pratap Nagar. While an IT Park, near Bhopal Airport, houses various software development companies and the city is expected to further enlarge its IT presence in near future with giants like WIPRO intending to establish software development centre in the city.[113] Other Software and IT companies established in the city include Sutherland Global Services, ISoft InfoTech, Soluzione IT Services, Netlink Software Pvt Ltd., Caresoft Inc India, Osmo IT Solution Pvt Ltd., and many more.
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, the largest engineering and manufacturing enterprise in India, has a unit in Bhopal. It occupies a large area in the Eastern Part of the city and maintains a suburb named after it. A majority of the residents of the BHEL Suburb are employed by the unit.[115] Govindpura Industrial Area is a huge industrial zone situated in northern limits of the city.
Mandideep is an industrial suburb of Bhopal. It is located to the south of the city on the NH 12.[116] Manufacturing units in Mandideep include HEG Limited, Procter & Gamble, Lupin Limited, Eicher Tractors, Insulators and Electricals Limited, Tafe Motors And Tractors Limited, B. S. Engineering Works, etc.[117]
Rapidly transforming industrial zones near Bhopal also include Bagroda AKVN,[118] Tamot Plastic Park[119] and Acharpura Industrial Area.[120] With the state government providing conducive environment for setting up of manufacturing units, the industrial zones have seen exponential demand from the investors to purchase the land which are provided at heavily subsidised prices.
Bhopal also has in its vicinity Badiyakhedi Industrial Area (Sehore), Pilukhedi Industrial Area (Rajgarh), Budhni Industrial Area (Sehore), Jamuniya Khejda (Raisen) and Mohasa Babai Industrial Area (Narmadapuram). The industrial areas have attracted huge investments with companies like Welspun Corp. Ltd, Vardhaman Industries, Trident Group, Lapp India, and Inox Air Products Pvt. Ltd. already operating manufacturing plants in various industrial belts.
Bhopal also has many other mega projects lined up in its vicinity. In March 2022, Madhya Pradesh government announced the development of Bagroda Industrial Area Phase-2 after observing the immense interest of investors to set up manufacturing units near Bhopal. The government has also decided to develop Berasia Industrial Area in Bhopal district, a site close to Jaipur-Bhopal Highway and Delhi-Gwalior-Bhopal Highway.[121]
In the sphere of IT development, a mega skill park with a total investment of more than ₹1,500 crores is being built in the eastern portion of the city. The Global Skills Park, Bhopal is a highly touted project of the Central and the state government which is being funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The Park is expected to be fully commissioned at the end of 2023.[122] While the IT Park near Bhopal Airport is eying investments of software companies including TCS and Wipro. IT startups of the city are already functioning in this area.
Bhopal is set to be a crucial intermediate city under the recently announced Delhi-Nagpur industrial corridor.[123] While a multi-modal logistics park has been proposed to take shape near Mandideep. NHAI has already prepared DPR for the upcoming ring road project between Obaidullaganj and Sehore with a cost of around ₹720 crores.[124]
The Raja Bhoj International Airport is located near the suburb of Bairagarh (formerly known as Sant Hirdaram Nagar) and is the primary airport serving the state of Madhya Pradesh, India.[125]
There are three routes or ways to reach the airport: (1) Via Bairagad, (2) Via Panchvati, (3) Via Gandhi Nagar road (N.H 12). From within the city, VIP Road, a four-lane road takes one to the airport, which lies 15 km to the north of the city. International flights began operations in 2010.
Air India, Spice Jet and Indigo operate domestic direct flight services. As of April 2023, Bhopal has non-stop flights to New Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Udaipur, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mopa, Agra, Prayagraj and Raipur.[126]
There are no international flights from Bhopal.[125]
National Highway 46 forms a ring-road around Bhopal which connects it to Jabalpur in the East (via NH 45) and Jaipur to the North west. NH 146, a branch of NH 46, connects the city to Sagar and Kanpur in the North. State Highway 18 connects the city with Indore (with Sehore and Dewas on the way). State Highway 23 connects the city to Guna and Berasia in the north.
The Bus Rapid Transit System, which opened in 2013, is run by Bhopal City Link Limited (BCLL). The company has identified 4 trunk and 8 standard routes in the city on which 225 buses would be operated daily from 05:00 to 23:00. 82 bus stops are built along the 24 km long corridor.[134]
On 26 December 2023, following a meeting at the state secretariat, the Government of Madhya Pradesh led by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav made the decision to discontinue the BRTS project. The reason cited for the decision was the traffic problems arising due to the corridor.[135][136]
The Bhoj Metro (also known as the Bhopal Metro) is an under construction rapid transit system intended to serve the city of Bhopal, India, the capital of the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. The total system consists of 6 corridors covering a distance of 104.87 kilometres (65.16 mi). The first phase of the Bhopal Metro project consists of 28 km (17.40 mi) of line 2 & 5 being under construction. This project will cost ₹80 billion (US$960 million) approximately. There will be three types of run – on road, on bridges, and underground in some locations.
The planned Metro in Bhopal is a heavy metro system. This system consists of a Network of 105 km (65.24 mi) and with lines overlapping and branching. In May 2013. Ar. Rohit Gupta (Rohit Associates Cities & Rails Pvt.Ltd) consultants were appointed to prepare a detailed project report for the MRTS including the selection of the system for the city. Based on the multicriteria analysis and recommendations of consultants, the Government of Madhya Pradesh approved the inception report prepared by the consultant on 30 June 2014. As of 2 December 2014 Geotechnical surveys and formation of the company is being carried on for the implementation of the project.[citation needed] The project will be completed by 2021 with first phase in 2019. DPR approved by State Cabinet.
On 1 May 2019, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) gave in-principle approval to fund the Bhopal Metro project. The Union Government will stand as guarantor for the loan.
Bhopal Metro rail project, Pillars constructionOctober 2018: DPR is approved by central government.
November 2018: Tendering may start in December.
December 2018: Detailed Geotechnical investigation study (soil testing) begins.
January 2019: Dilip Buildcon begins construction of elevated viaduct between Shubash Nagar And AIIMS starts.
April 2019: Dilip Buildcon begins pile testing.
August 2019: Construction work ongoing. MPMRCL announced metro will start operations in 2023.
September 2019: Project renamed to Bhoj Metro by Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath while laying the foundation stone.
Jun 2020: Metro construction ongoing near Subhash Nagar, AIIMS. Casting yard for girders work ongoing at Kanhasaiyan.
Aug 2020: 80 pillars already constructed. Aim is to inaugurate the metro services before August 2023.
Aug 2021: Bhopal Metro receives bids from 4 firms for the construction of 8 Elevated stations. More than 190 pillars constructed and 50+ girders launched. The expected operation for the priority corridor from AIIMS to Subhash Nagar (8 km) is by August 2023. However, the possibility of completion of phase-I work (Total 28 km) by 2023, seems bleak due to administrative laxity and less coordination between on-ground officials. 70% of the work of the priority corridor completed.
September 2021: Bhopal Metro's construction work continues at very slow pace. Project outlay is expected to increase from initial estimates of Rs. 6941 crore to Rs. 9000 crore. Expected operation of metro in 2023 is very unlikely.
October 2021: Metro construction work regains some pace. Bhopal metro construction nearing its 100th girder launching. More than 95 girders launched on Line 2 stretch between AIIMS and Subhash Nagar (6.3 Km). However, no work has started on the remaining stretch of Line 2 (Subhash Nagar to Karond) and Line 5 (Depot Square to Ratnagiri) which are proposed to be completed in Phase-I by 2023. Construction agency for Metro Depot near Jinsi is likely to be finalized in second week of November.
November 2021: MPMRCL has invited global tenders for supply of rail and electrical system for the Bhopal Metro Project. Foundation stone for construction of eight metro stations between AIIMS and Subhash Nagar laid. Chennai based URC Construction starts on-field work for metro station. Metro in Bhopal is slated to be launched by the end of 2023. Tender also launched for supply of 81 Metro cars for Bhopal Metro. Girder launching continues between DB City and Rani Kamalapati Railway Station, the only section left for girder launching in the priority corridor between AIIMS and Subhash Nagar (6.3 km).
March 2022: KEC International-SAM India JV has won the contract for the construction of Subhash Nagar Metro Depot. The firm is likely to commence groundwork in April 2022, the construction work of Depot involving an estimated cost of Rs. 323 crores. Segment launching near Rani Kamlapati Railway station is continuing at a very slow pace. No concrete work is yet visible for the construction of 8 metro stations in the priority corridor.
May 2023: MPMRCL receives in-principle approval by Indian Railways to construct a railway overbridge, connecting RKMP Metro station to the Orange Line stations towards AIIMS.
September 2023: Rolling stock for Bhopal Metro's Orange Line has been delivered by Alstom and unloaded at the Subhash Nagar Depot. The trial runs are expected to start soon, and will be carried out between the Subhash Nagar and Rani Kamlapati Railway Station metro stations.
October 2023: 7 firms submit bids for civil contract of package BH-05 - construction of 13 stations and elevated viaduct for the Blue line.
December 2023:L&T completes track laying on the priority corridor. Civil Contract for package BH-03 - construction of 6 elevated stations on Orange Line including an interchange station at Pul Bogda and elevated viaduct has been awarded to URCC.
February 2024: A KPIL and Gulemark Joint Venture has been awarded the civil contract for the underground package BH-04 - twin tunnels to connect two ramps via stations at Nadra Bus Stand and Bhopal Junction.
Bhimbetka pre-historic rock cave painting near Bhopal include 500 sandstone caves and shelters. These are dated to range from 12,000 years ago to chalcolithic era of human history. They are a UNESCO World Heritage site.[139]
Bhimbetka Caves are about 35 kilometres from Bhopal city. They have evidence of dwellings of pre-historic man during the Paleolithic era. Rock paintings in the caves are specimens of pre-historic settlements in India. There are about 600 caves, but only 12 are open for visitors. The caves are located in the midst of sal and teak forests and includes a short trail around the caves. They were discovered by Wakankar in 1957. UNESCO declared Bhimbetka Caves as a World Heritage Site in 2003.[140]
Sanchi Stupas are located about 47 kilometres from Bhopal city. The great stupa at Sanchi is probably the most iconic stupa ever built. It was initially built by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka the Great in 3rd century BCE. Later additions were made during the Shunga Empire and Satavahana periods. There are two more stupas on the Sanchi hill along with the remains of Buddhist viharas, a Gupta period tem-ple, etc. The site was into use till the 15th century CE.
Van Vihar National Park is a national park in central India. It is located in Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh. Declared as a national park in 1979, it covers an area of about 4.45 sq. kms. Although it has the status of a national park, Van Vihar is developed and managed as a modern zoological park, following the guidelines of the Central Zoo Authority. The animals are kept in their near natural habitat. Most of the animals are either orphaned brought from various parts of the state or those, which are exchanged from other zoos. No animal is deliberately captured from the forest. Van Vihar is unique because it allows easy access to the visitors through a road passing through the park, security of animals assured from poachers by building trenches and walls, chain-link fence and by providing natural habitat to the animals.
Bhoj Wetland is a Ramsar site, declared in 2002. It is ideal for bird watching. Migratory birds from Central Asia winter here in huge numbers. Some threatened species like Sarus crane and woolly-neck inhabit here in good numbers. About 300 species of resident and migratory birds have been recorded in the area.
Ratapani Tiger Reserve is located near the southern end of the municipal limits of Bhopal. It is home to more than 50 tigers. About 15 tigers are reported to be present in the urban area of Bhopal. Some tigers migrate about 100 kilometres westward to Kheoni Wildlife Sanctuary. Bhopal is the only known example in world of wild tigers living within in the city boundary.[141]
Halali Dam is located about 38 kilometres in the north of Bhopal. The huge backwater is home to many birds and attract many other migratory birds in winters. It is an Important Bird Area declared by Birdlife International.
Apart from lakes, Bhopal also has many water reservoirs[142] in and around the city. These include Bhadbhada Dam, Kerwa Dam, Kaliyasot Dam and Kolar Dam. People of Bhopal mostly visit these places during weekends. The weather is pleasant during and post monsoon. These places are surrounded by greenery throughout the year.
The New Market is a commercial area in Bhopal.[145][146][147] It is characterised by offices, new businesses and trade establishments.[148][149] Notable malls include DB City Mall in MP Nagar,[150] and Aashima Anupama Mall.[151] Apart from New Market, people can go for shopping at Chowk Bazar[152] and Sarafa in Old City Area of Bhopal.
Shankar Dayal Sharma – Shankar Dayal Sharma was the ninth President of India, serving from the period of 1992 to 1997, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Bhopal from Berasia in the elections of 1952 and became Chief Minister of Bhopal State in 1952
Raghuram Rajan – 23rd Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, 15th Chief Economic Adviser to the Government of India
Anees Ahmed – Lawyer in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations and United Nations International Criminal Tribunals
Bhopal is the important city in the view of the Indian Armed Forces, as here various units of the military are deployed. Bhopal Cantt is known as the peace station. The Military Station Bhopal holds:
^ abRecords, Official. "Estimates of District Domestic Product Madhya Pradesh"(PDF). Department of Planning, Economics & Statistics, Govt. of Madhya Pradesh. Directorate of Economics and Statistics, Madhya Pradesh. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
^Limaye, P. (2014). "Bhopal Accident: Release of MIC". Encyclopedia of Toxicology. Elsevier. pp. 446–448. doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-386454-3.00252-9. ISBN9780123864550. Bhopal, the capital city of the state of Madhya Pradesh, India, is the site that witnessed probably the world's worst industrial calamity.
^Lakhani, Nina (29 November 2009). "Bhopal: The victims are still being born". The Independent. London. Archived from the original on 3 December 2009. Retrieved 30 November 2009. Around 8,000 people are now believed to have died within the first 72 hours. ... Another 15,000 are estimated to have died as a result of the gas exposure since then, often from painful and horrific damage to their lungs, heart, brain and other organs, according to Amnesty International.
^ ab"Bhopal marks 25 years since gas leak devastation". BBC News. 3 December 2009. Archived from the original on 7 June 2010. Retrieved 26 April 2010. Initial deaths (3–6 December): more than 3,000 - official toll. Unofficial initial toll: 7,000-8,000. Total deaths to date: over 15,000.
^"New Ring Road for Bhopal". mediawala.in (in Hindi). Mediawala. 17 February 2022. Archived from the original on 2 January 2023. Retrieved 2 January 2023.
Khan, Shaharyar (2000). Begums of Bhopal, A Dynasty of Women Rulers in Raj India (illustrated ed.). I.B.Tauris. ISBN978-1-86064-528-0.
Singh, J.P. (1998). City Planning in India: A Study of Land Use of Bhopal. Mittal Publications, India. ISBN81-7099-705-4.
Shrivastava, Paul (1987). Bhopal: Anatomy of a Crisis. Paul Chapman, London.
Howgh, William (2006). A Brief History of the Bhopal Principality in Central India. Hesperides Press. ISBN1-4067-1225-6.
Mittal, Kamal (1990). History of Bhopal State: Development of Constitution, Administration and National Awakening, 1901–1949. South Asia Books. ISBN99903-0-915-9.
D'Silva, Themistocles (2006). The Black Box of Bhopal. Trafford Publishing. ISBN1-4120-8412-1.