Once the most sought-after residential address in the old city, Koh-e-Fiza is fast losing its skyline to apartment projects, which many say have robbed the area of its original charm.

Nestled between the Idgah Hills to its northeast and the scenic Upper Lake to its southwest, this upwardly mobile middle-class neighbourhood emerged during the final decades of the last century, after the Madhya Pradesh Housing Board (MPHB) and Bhopal Development Authority (BDA) acquired and developed residential enclaves in the area.

Surprisingly, the plots back then found few takers, as most people believed it was too far, while others contended that the place was haunted by a churail (witch) and a sar kata (headless man).

Many claimed to have seen the churail, who purportedly had backward feet, running amok along a narrow path that meandered its way along the lake towards Khanugaon—decades before the VIP Road came up on the same route.

While the witch had a favourite haunt, the sar kata reigned over a larger territory and was said to appear at various places around the royal enclave that overlooks the lake at the western end of the neighbourhood.

Koh-e-Fiza finally started to emerge from the shadows of these spooky tales in the 1980s, after several distinguished citizens with roots in the walled city moved here to escape the humdrum of their congested neighbourhoods.

The area commanded great aspirational value, as it boasted several parks and open spaces—unimaginable in the walled city.

Old-timers say land was once available at throwaway prices, and many made a killing by trading in residential plots. However, they now lament the hectic development of apartment blocks, which is straining civic infrastructure in the area.

Over the last few decades, several families have moved to other neighbourhoods to avoid problems that have surged in proportion with the population.

Today, the area is chock-a-block with haphazardly parked vehicles and fast-deteriorating infrastructure.

Laughing off questions about how the churail and sar kata might have reacted to the current building activity, Syed Hasan Iftikhar, who has lived in the neighbourhood for decades, says, "The ongoing development activity adds a fresh chapter to the history of the neighbourhood. If some are displeased, there are others who have waited decades for affordable housing options in the area."