Udaipur, December 31, 2024 - While we are counting down to the finale of the year 2024, here are some reflections on how Udaipur fared in the year gone by.

The city made headlines across the country throughout the year... for some good news and for some bad news. The otherwise peaceful City of Lakes witnessed many controversies this year, which perhaps no one would like to see again. The destination weddings, increasing tourism and the award of the Shaurya Chakra posthumously to Major Mustafa Bohra were among the major positive happenings in Udaipur.

Let us revisit some of the major news of the year from Udaipur.

Udaipur’s moment of pride – Shaurya Chakra for martyr Major Mustafa Bohra

Udaipur's martyr, Major Mustafa Bohra was awarded the Shaurya Chakra posthumously. The Shaurya Chakra to martyr Major Mustafa Bohra was presented by the President of India, Droupadi Murmu, to his parents Fatema Bohra and Zakiuddin Bohra at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on July 5, 2024.

Destination weddings dominated the celebrations

The City of Lakes has been a favourite wedding destination for celebrities, including movie stars, politicians and businessmen. In 2024, Udaipur hosted the wedding of celebrated Bollywood actor Aamir Khan's daughter Ira Khan, actor Dharmendra's granddaughter and Sunny/Bobby Deol's niece's wedding, actress Taapsee Pannu's wedding and the recently concluded wedding of badminton star PV Sindhu. The pre-wedding event of industrialist Gautam Adani’s son was also among the talked about destination weddings in Udaipur.

Vande Bharat: Udaipur to Agra

The Udaipur to Agra Vande Bharat was launched in August 2024. The train, running three days a week between Udaipur and Agra Cantt (Train #20981) leaves Udaipur City every Monday, Thursday and Saturday at 5:45 am and reaches Chanderia at 7:41 am, Bundi at 9:08 am, Kota at 9:50am, Sawai Madhopur at 11:00 am and Agra Cantt at 02:30 pm. Similarly, train no. 20982 Agra Cantt Udaipur Vande Bharat Express departs from Agra Cantt every Monday, Thursday, Saturday of the week at 3:00 pm and reaches Udaipur at 11:45 pm via Sawai Madhopur at 05:38 pm, Kota at 07:00 pm, Bundi at 07:38 pm, Chanderia at 09:35 pm. En route, this train halts at Rana Pratap Nagar, Mavli, Chanderia, Bundi, Kota, Sawai Madhopur, Gangapur City stations on both sides.

Udaipur division expansion

On December 28, the Bhajan Lal Sharma government dissolved Banswara division, which was formed by splitting the Udaipur division during the tenure of the Gehlot-led Congress government. Now Banswara, Dungarpur and Pratapgarh have again joined Udaipur division. Salumber district, which was formed by splitting Udaipur district, will remain as it is.

Udaipur elevated road work begins

The much-awaited elevated road from Paras Square to Collector's residence in Udaipur began towards the end of 2024. The work began after a tussle between the Deputy Mayor of the Municipal Corporation and the city MLA regarding the elevated road. Now a time limit of two years has been given for completion of the project.

Student murder case

On August 16, a student was fatally attacked with a knife by his classmate, just outside their school. The incident occurred at a government school in the Bhatiyani Chohatta area, which is located in the heart of the walled city. The injured student died on August 19 after prolonged treatment failed to save him. The incident took on a communal turn and on the day of the incident, shops and establishments of the minority communities were vandalised in Hathipol, Chetak Marg and Madhuban areas of Udaipur and many vehicles were set on fire. Certain areas of the city remained tense and the administration shut down the internet for five days. This incident was a grim reminder of the murder case of Kanhaiyalal in 2022, when Udaipur was in the international press for all the wrong reasons and the secular fabric of the peaceful city took a beating never imagined before.

Terror of the man-eating leopard

The forests around Udaipur, as well as nearer to human-populated areas, were in a for a scare in the month of September. The region has been witnessing leopard sightings in the past, and post COVID these sightings especially in populated areas have increased. However, in September 2024, multiple attacks by man-eater leopards in the forests of Gogunda, Jhadol and Badgaon created a panic situation, especially for the villagers inhabiting these zone. Not one but nine human lives were lost in this period. For about two months, the man-eating leopards gave the Forest Department and shooters a tough time. Expert shooter Nawab Shafaat Ali Khan was also called from Hyderabad but the man-eaters could not be caught. Finally, on October 18, the man-eaters fell prey to police bullets and Udaipur heaved a sigh of relief. 

Death of Maharana Mahendra Singh and the City Palace controversy

Maharana Mahendra Singh Mewar, the elder son of the erstwhile Maharana of Mewar and brother of Arvind Singh Mewar breathed his last on November 10. Vishwaraj Singh Mewar, his son, was, as per tradition, given the title of Maharana of Mewar and the turban ceremony took place a few days later in Chittorgarh. Vishwaraj is also the MLA from Nathdwara, near Udaipur and part of Rajsamand district. After the turban ceremony, he was supposed to pay homage (darshan) to the family deity (Dhuni Mata) at the City Palace in Udaipur. However, this visit was disputed by the family of Arvind Singh Mewar. The dispute prevented the MLA from entering City Palace and this was followed by altercations and stone pelting outside the City Palace which became unhealthy news for not only the local media but also for the national and international press. However, after administrative intervention, the deadlock that continued for two days was resolved.

Firing on a girl from Thailand

Udaipur was defamed due to another incident, when miscreants opened fire on a foreign girl (resident of Thailand) on November 8. Though the injury was serious, the  girl survived. Those who fired  on the girl, viz. Rahul Gurjar, Dhruv Suhalka and Akshay Khubchandani, were identified as history sheeters and subsequently arrested in the case.

Mavli murder accused sentenced to death

Kamlesh Singh, the accused who committed the heinous crime of raping and killing an innocent girl in Lopda village of Mavli and chopping the dead body into 10 pieces before hiding it, was sentenced to death. The parents of the  culprit were sentenced to four years of imprisonment for helping to hide the body.

Other incidents

Action was taken against encroachment at many places, including removal of hawkers around Samor Bagh, establishments and buildings not having paid the Urban Development (UD) tax, and illegal constructions. Few such cases include seizing establishments at Chamanpura, Loha Bazar, Delhi Gate chauraha, etc. Road widening projects at Fatehpura chauraha, Durga Nursery, removal of the Shakti Nagar bottleneck and, more recently, work on widening of the Chetak Circle are being done to supposedly ease the traffic congestion in these areas. However, many shopkeepers and residents have  raised their voice against what they claim is unjustfied and illegal action of the Udaipur Municipal Corporation whose role in the random seizing is being questioned. At the same time, one person died due to the collapse of an under-construction culvert in Madri area of ​​the city, while bomb threat hoax at the airport and the city's Artist House also made headlines.