Bhopal’s Union Carbide Site to Be Transformed into a Hiroshima-Style Memorial; ₹1,200 Crore Project to Commemorate Gas Tragedy Victims

Bhopal: Forty-one years after the world’s worst industrial disaster, the abandoned Union Carbide factory site in Bhopal is set to be transformed into a grand international memorial, inspired by the iconic remembrance sites of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has announced that the state government plans to develop a ‘Gas Tragedy Memorial’ on the sprawling 90-acre परिसर of the former factory.

The proposed memorial aims to honor the memory of thousands who lost their lives or were permanently disabled during the deadly methyl isocyanate (MIC) gas leak on the night of December 2–3, 1984. The project is expected to cost over ₹1,200 crore and will stand as a global reminder of the human cost of industrial negligence.

A Global Memorial at the Site of Tragedy

The memorial will be constructed on the cleared land of the Union Carbide factory, once the epicenter of unimaginable suffering. Much like Hiroshima and Nagasaki symbolize the horrors of nuclear warfare, the Bhopal Gas Tragedy Memorial will preserve the memory of the catastrophic industrial disaster, its long-term impact, and the pain endured by generations of survivors.

At the same time, the project seeks to reflect Bhopal’s journey forward—as a modern city that has risen from the shadow of one of the largest industrial calamities in human history.

Master Plan for 90 Acres

The decision to develop the site gained momentum after the incineration of toxic waste from the factory at the TSDF facility in Pithampur in 2025. Following the cleanup, the state government has proposed a comprehensive master plan covering nearly 90 acres of land.

According to officials, the memorial complex may include:

• A dedicated Gas Tragedy Memorial structure
• An Industrial Disaster Research and Awareness Institute
• A ‘Wall of Names’ bearing the names of victims
• A museum and literature archive documenting the world’s largest industrial disaster

Government Assures Inclusive Planning

Speaking on Saturday, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said the government would consult all stakeholders, including victim groups and civil society organizations, before moving ahead with the project.

“Under the guidance of the High Court, and after the complete cleanup of the premises, the government will proceed with the development of a memorial in honor of those who lost their lives in the Bhopal gas tragedy,” the Chief Minister said. “This memorial will ensure that such a tragedy is never forgotten and never repeated.”

Once completed, the Bhopal Gas Tragedy Memorial is expected to emerge as a place of remembrance, reflection, and global learning—placing Bhopal alongside Hiroshima and Nagasaki on the world map of collective human memory and conscience.