City: Bhopal Citizen Matters

Bhopal: Lockdown relaxed, but no end to miseries of the marginalised

August 14, 2020 Porag Shome and Neelansh Sethi

The lockdown pushed many members of the Pardhi community in Bhopal to beg for survival. Now, as they try to rebuild their lives post lockdown, there is still little hope.

City Buzz: COVID: 1.5 cr tests done | Vaccine trials underway | Unsafe medical waste disposal in Mumbai… and more

July 28, 2020 News Desk

A quick recap of key COVID-19 updates and other urban highlights over the last one week.

Will MP government’s ‘Kill Corona’ campaign be enough to reverse the spike in Bhopal and Gwalior-Chambal belt?

July 13, 2020 Rishabh Shrivastava

It was only in June that the state implemented a number of steps, like setting up fever clinics, to curb the spread of the virus. There are also concerns that the upcoming elections may hurt transparency.

City Buzz: Lockdown returns to several cities | Shortage of crucial COVID-19 drugs in Mumbai | Delhi to start interstate buses…and more

July 12, 2020 News Desk

Check out latest COVID-19 updates and other news from our cities over the week gone by

Why 288 families in Bhopal were left scrounging for food during the lockdown

June 9, 2020 Porag Shome and Neelansh Sethi

Three slums in and around Bhopal are home to 288 Bel-Pardhi families, one of the 198 ‘denotified’ tribes in India. Here is what they faced during the lockdown.

City Buzz: Kolkata to open non-essential shops | Citizens protest over water in Aurangabad | New rules for Bhopal shops…and more

June 1, 2020 News Desk

Key news highlights of last week from Kolkata, NCR, Bhopal and other cities

Why Bhopal gas leak survivors find themselves in double jeopardy

May 1, 2020 Shuriah Niazi

Patients at BMHRC hospital, many of them survivors of the 1984 gas tragedy, who were critically ill and on ventilator support were abruptly denied treatment after March 24th when it was designated a COVID-only hospital. Inevitably, some of them died.

Bhopal’s ‘Intelligent Traffic Management System’ shows few signs of intelligence

March 4, 2020 Shuriah Niazi

The traffic management system, launched under the Bhopal Smart City Mission, is meant to regulate traffic, bring violators to book and address infrastructural and design lapses. Unfortunately, none of these are being done efficiently enough.

When will Bhopal enjoy a walk in the park again?

February 18, 2020 Shuriah Niazi

Bhopal has over 100 public parks, but most are in sad shape — used as protest venues or dumping sites, or merely languishing in decrepit condition. The state and municipality have now promised to revamp three of these, with funds released under the Amrut scheme.

Bhopal closes controversial abattoir, but no sight of alternative yet

December 5, 2019 Shuriah Niazi

As a result, both man and animal have been hit hard and the likelihood of illegal slaughter has also risen. Political wrangling, however, makes it appear improbable that the problem will be resolved soon.

Commuter lives at risk as rains leave Bhopal roads riddled with potholes

November 22, 2019 Shuriah Niazi

Heavy rains have affected nearly 300 km of roads in the city. Innumerable potholes dot most roads which have become death traps for commuters, especially two-wheeler users. However, it is anybody’s guess when restoration work will begin in most of these areas.

Why Bhopal wants its BRTS corridor to be dismantled after spending Rs 329 crore on it

October 31, 2019 Shuriah Niazi

Traffic chaos, commuter inconvenience and alarming accident records — on the face of it, the reasons for the public outcry against Bhopal’s ‘corridor of trouble’ seem aplenty. But does it really call for dismantling of the infrastructure? What do experts say?

What cities pushing for bicycle sharing must learn from Bhopal’s not-so-smart experiment

September 25, 2019 Shuriah Niazi

Two years back, Bhopal’s automated bicycle sharing programme was launched amid much fanfare as one of its smart city projects. However, the scheme has seen lukewarm response at best and the factors behind this need careful attention.

How a fire in Surat has shaken up the ‘coaching’ industry in Bhopal

August 28, 2019 Shuriah Niazi

Following a fire in a Surat coaching centre that claimed 24 lives, the Bhopal administration ordered an inspection of fire safety compliance at all coaching centres. Findings were alarming and notices have been issued to 200 coaching institutes and hostels.

35 years on, govt looks away as Bhopal neighbourhood continues to drink chemical-laden water

July 20, 2019 Shuriah Niazi

Two generations have seen the light of day since the disastrous gas leak at Bhopal’s Union Carbide factory. Yet, children are still born with congenital defects and people battle chronic illness, as thousands of tons of chemical waste lie in the open, contaminating air and water. Is the state even bothered?