Archive · 5 Oct 2026
Bhopal’s Planning Journey From Raja Bhoj to 2047
Bhopal has changed a lot over about a thousand years.
The article says Raja Bhoj planned the Upper Lake in the 11th century.
The city later grew under the Nawabs, and its population increased over time.
Older parts of Bhopal had narrow streets and buildings with verandas.
In more recent times, architects helped shape the modern city.
A draft plan now looks ahead to Bhopal in 2047.
It imagines a larger city that uses more technology.
Even then, people may still visit the Upper Lake, which is part of Bhopal’s long history.
The article traces Bhopal’s development from Raja Bhoj’s era to a draft master plan looking ahead to 2047.
Raja Bhoj is credited with planning the Upper Lake, whose construction began in the 11th century and continued until 1053.
The city grew from a small settlement to a population of 75,228 in 1941 and 102,333 in 1951, according to the article.
Bhopal and nearby areas now have nearly 2.7 million residents, while the proposed plan includes parts of neighboring districts.
The article says the 2047 vision emphasizes a technology-driven metropolitan city, while retaining the Upper Lake as a historic landmark.
- Who
- Bhopal’s planners and residents, across the eras of Raja Bhoj, the Nawabs, and modern urban development.
- What
- A retrospective on Bhopal’s development and its draft master plan through 2047.
- When
- The account spans from the 11th century to the plan horizon of 2047.
- Where
- Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, with the plan also covering parts of nearby districts.
- Why
- To consider how Bhopal’s future development builds on its history and responds to urban growth.
- Plan horizon
- 2047
- Upper Lake
- Credited to Raja Bhoj; construction began in the 11th century and continued until 1053.
- Population in 1941
- 75,228
- Population in 1951
- 102,333
- Current population cited
- Nearly 2.7 million in Bhopal and nearby areas.
- Earlier population cited
- About 35,000 in 1847, during Nawab Sikandar Begum’s administration.
- Plan coverage
- Includes parts of Sehore, Raisen, Narmadapuram, Vidisha, and other areas.