Illegal Structures Face Bulldozers As Indore Launches Major Encroachment Clearance Operation

The Indore administration on Wednesday carried out a major anti-encroachment operation along the banks of the Kanh river, clearing government land estimated to be worth around Rs 100 crore, officials said. The action followed a directive issued by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) regarding unauthorised constructions along the riverbank. Officials said the operation was conducted in the South Toda area, located in the heart of Indore, and targeted commercial and industrial structures that had allegedly come up on government land. The administration deployed officials and police personnel for the drive, which resulted in the demolition of more than 50 illegal shops and over 45 unauthorised factories. The action was part of efforts to enforce restrictions on construction close to the river and reclaim land identified as being under encroachment.

According to officials, the operation resulted in the removal of more than 50 shops and over 45 factories situated along the Kanh riverbanks. These structures were identified as unauthorised constructions falling within the area covered by the NGT’s directions. The tribunal had directed authorities to take action against illegal constructions located within a 30-metre radius of the riverbank. The Indore administration subsequently undertook the demolition exercise in the South Toda locality. The officials said the operation was carried out in accordance with the specified distance from the river and was intended to clear constructions that had occupied the protected area. The scale of the operation reflected the extent of commercial and industrial activity that had developed along the riverbank despite restrictions on construction in the designated zone.

The administration estimated that around two acres of government land were freed from encroachments during Wednesday’s action. Officials placed the market value of the reclaimed land at approximately Rs 100 crore. The valuation gives an indication of the significance of the land cleared during the operation, particularly because the area is situated in the central part of the commercial city. Authorities said the land had been occupied by structures including shops and factories that were removed as part of the enforcement exercise. The recovery of government land was one of the key outcomes of the drive, alongside the implementation of the NGT’s directions concerning the riverbank. The administration’s action also sends a message to occupants of unauthorised structures that construction within the prescribed zone could face enforcement measures.

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The demolition drive, however, was not completed without resistance. Officials said a group of people attempted to obstruct the anti-encroachment operation as authorities proceeded with the removal of the structures. Police intervened to control the situation, and around half a dozen people were arrested for allegedly preventing officials from carrying out their duties. A senior police officer was also manhandled during the operation, according to officials. The incident added a law-and-order dimension to the enforcement exercise, with police personnel required to ensure that the demolition teams could continue their work. The arrests were made in connection with the alleged obstruction, while the administration continued with the removal of the unauthorised constructions.

The NGT’s directive was central to the action, with officials specifically focusing on illegal constructions located within 30 metres of the Kanh riverbank. Riverbanks and adjoining areas can face pressure from unauthorised construction and commercial activity, making enforcement of designated restrictions important for maintaining the prescribed river corridor. In this case, the Indore administration used the tribunal’s directions as the basis for removing structures that fell within the restricted area. The action involved both commercial shops and factories, indicating that the encroachments were not limited to a single type of establishment. Officials said the drive was undertaken to comply with the tribunal’s order and clear government land that had been occupied by unauthorised structures.

Wednesday’s operation represents a significant anti-encroachment action in Indore because of the amount of land reclaimed and the number of structures demolished. More than two acres of government property, with an estimated market value of Rs 100 crore, were cleared, while over 95 shops and factories were targeted during the drive, according to officials. The operation also highlighted the challenges authorities can face when enforcing orders involving established commercial and industrial structures. With the NGT’s 30-metre restriction serving as the basis for the action, the administration proceeded against constructions located along the riverbank in South Toda. The arrests and alleged manhandling of a senior police officer further underscored the tension surrounding the exercise. Authorities have not provided details of any additional operations, but Wednesday’s drive marked a substantial step in clearing encroachments from the Kanh river’s designated buffer area.

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