Indore-Bhopal Metropolitan Area Development in Madhya Pradesh
The Madhya Pradesh government has approved a draft bill to transform Indore and Bhopal into metropolitan areas by merging five districts each. The bill will be presented in the upcoming monsoon session of the state assembly.
Indore Metropolitan Area
The proposed Indore Metropolitan Area will encompass five districts: Indore, Ujjain, Dhar, Dewas, and Shajapur, covering an area of approximately 9,336.10 square kilometers with a combined population of about 5.56 million. The Indore Development Authority (IDA) has been designated as the nodal agency for this project, which will proceed in four phases: initiation, situation analysis, regional and investment planning, and preparation of the Detailed Project Report (DPR).
Bhopal Metropolitan Area
The Bhopal Metropolitan Area will include Bhopal, Sehore, Raisen, Vidisha, and parts of Rajgarh districts. The Bhopal Development Authority has been appointed as the nodal agency, with the planning process underway. The proposed names for the Bhopal Metropolitan Area are:
- Bhopal Metropolitan Area
- Madhya Pradesh State Capital Region
- Bhojpal Metropolitan Area
Preliminary consensus has been reached on the name "Bhojpal Metropolitan Area," pending formal approval after the enactment of the legislation.
Legislative Process
The Madhya Pradesh Metropolitan Planning and Development Act, 2025, will be introduced in the upcoming monsoon session of the state assembly. This legislation aims to establish metropolitan development authorities and planning committees to oversee coordinated development within the metropolitan regions.