What was once showcased as a model of urban renewal under the Smart City mission is now slipping into bad shape. The Gol Bazaar area, redeveloped with crores of rupees by Jabalpur Smart City Limited (JSCL), is today grappling with encroachments, poor maintenance and administrative neglect. Developed under the Area Based Development (ABD) project at a cost of around Rs 45 crore, nearly 7.5 acres in the city’s core, including Wright Town and Napier Town, the Gol Bazaar was upgraded with smart roads, drainage, electrification and 24x7 water supply. A key attraction was an 800-metre landscaped walkway around Shaheed Smarak, built at a cost of about Rs 2 crore. It was designed as a public space for walking and leisure. Temporary encroachments in the form of eateries, kiosks and makeshift shops have mushroomed across the stretch, blocking the walkway and damaging its aesthetics. Two-wheelers parked along the pathway further choke the space, leaving no room for pedestrians.

 

In several places, costly UPBC fibre fencing installed around the walkway has been broken or removed. The situation has left major features of the project ineffective. Heritage poles and heritage lighting, installed at significant cost, remain non-functional for months. Poor maintenance of landscaping and public infrastructure has further added to the decline, raising serious questions over accountability. Local Corporator Ayodhya Tiwari when contacted said the issue has been repeatedly raised at multiple forums, including the Municipal Corporation House, but no corrective action has been taken. He informed that additional works, including fencing and entry gates worth Rs 21 lakh, were carried out, yet the area continues to deteriorate. The neglect has not only diminished a centrally located public space but also highlighted a larger concern, the wastage of public funds. Residents informed that without strict action against encroachments and regular maintenance, the Smart City vision risks turning into a missed opportunity.