Residents awaiting homes under a major government housing scheme in Bhopal have expressed intense frustration over an eight-year delay, confronting the city's mayor during a recent inspection. The project, part of the central government's Housing for All initiative, remains largely incomplete, leaving hundreds of families in limbo.
Mayor Confronted During Site Inspection
During a visit to the multistorey project site at 12 Number Stop in BMC Ward 49 on Tuesday, Mayor Malti Rai faced sharp questions from agitated beneficiaries. Residents demanded clear answers on when they would finally receive possession of their flats, which they booked and paid for years ago. The situation grew so tense that one beneficiary blocked the mayor's path, stating he had waited until January and could not wait any longer.
Homebuyers highlighted a dual financial crisis, forced to pay both loan installments for the unfinished flats and rent for their current accommodations. They also raised serious complaints about waterlogging during monsoon rains and concerns over the quality of construction at the site.
Official Reasons and New Deadline
In response to the outcry, Mayor Malti Rai attributed the significant delay to late approvals from the Real Estate Regulatory Authority (RERA), which she said stalled progress for a considerable time. She assured residents that with the necessary permissions now secured, construction work has been accelerated.
Rai provided a new deadline, committing that all allotted houses under the project would be handed over to beneficiaries by May 2026. She acknowledged the unfair financial burden placed on families and directed concerned officials to expedite the remaining work at the site.
A Promise Eight Years in the Making
The project was launched in 2017 under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), with an original promise of completion within two years. It comprises a total of 1,800 flats, including 216 for Middle-Income Groups (MIG), 576 for Low-Income Groups (LIG), and 1,008 for Economically Weaker Sections (EWS).
Despite the passage of eight years, the majority of these flats remain incomplete. While a limited number of units have been allotted, most beneficiaries are still waiting, having organized repeated protests over the years to draw attention to their plight.
This incident reflects a broader trend of discontent with real estate projects in Madhya Pradesh's capital. A recent MP RERA report indicated that Bhopal is losing real estate projects to other cities, notably Ujjain. A newspaper report from December 2025 suggested a shift of major projects towards Ujjain, the native district of the state's Chief Minister.
However, claims of widespread urbanization are contested by data in the same RERA report, which showed that 22 districts in Madhya Pradesh registered fewer than 10 new realty projects, indicating uneven development across the state.
