Amidst protests by some priests, three permanent and 40 temporary structures were removed by Indore Municipal Corporation from Bijasen Mata Temple premises near airport on Monday. These structures were removed to free temple land from encroachments and for renovation and beautification of the shrine.
The IMC had carried out removal drive in the past but many kiosks return on the temple premises. On Monday, the IMC removal gang reached the temple premises and started anti-encroachment drive. IMC Commissioner Asheesh Singh also went there to supervise the drive.
The IMC teams also shifted idols installed at different places on the temple premises to a single place. The IMC stated that proper rituals were followed while shifting idols. The teams also seized some plaster of Paris idols from some houses in the temple.
Additional commissioner Devendra Singh, who led the drive, stated that they had previously demolished houses of 12 priests on the temple premises and shifted them to elsewhere. However, some houses were half demolished so a few of them returned and repaired them. We removed them and razed down their houses.