Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) plans to set up a solar plant on 50 acres of land at Jamboree Maidan on the outskirts of the state capital of Madhya Pradesh.
The state-owned power equipment major had sanctioned the Rs 54 crore solar power plant in November 2016 and the deadline set for its completion was March 31, 2017. It had got all permissions in place from the Centre one-and-a-half years back. However, the work is yet to begin in the absence of state government’s permission.
Despite getting the Centre’s clearances for the solar power plant that BHEL proposes to set up on its own land on the city outskirts, the project is yet to take off as the Madhya Pradesh government apparently wants to keep the site open for public and political events.
A 200 acres land known as Jamboree Maidan, located adjoining the BHEL plant was left open for the expansion of the plant. A solar power unit is proposed to be set up but it could not take off in the absence of district collector’s permission.
This plant is expected to generate at least 10 MW, which would be sufficient for the Bhopal’s plant. This would save about Rs 15 crore annually for the BHEL. The plant would be run by the BHEL’s current staff.
It appear, for the first time the state government is creating a hindrance in the Centre’s work, especially when you have the same party government at the Center and State level.