Surat Municipal Commissioner M Nagrajan issued a video statement on Saturday confirming that the controversial demolition in Nasir Nagar, carried out on May 30 under heavy police deployment and in the presence of senior SMC officials, was indeed executed by the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC). The confirmation came 21 days after the event, which left hundreds homeless and sparked widespread criticism.
Details of the Demolition
The SMC central zone team conducted the operation at Nasir Nagar with required police bandobast, according to Nagrajan. He stated that the team went for demarcation work, during which demolition was also undertaken by zonal officials. However, he refrained from further elaboration, noting that the matter is sub judice. "SMC will submit the required documents in the court, and the court order will be implemented strictly," he added.
Initial Evasion and Controversy
For days after the razing, the civic body remained evasive, with officials repeatedly stating that the SMC team had only gone for "demarcation." Opposition leaders escalated their criticism, alleging procedural violations. Earlier, on June 10, Nagrajan claimed he was unaware who had carried out the demolition and said an inquiry committee had been constituted to examine the circumstances.
Officials Under Pressure
In a video statement following intense criticism, zonal head and additional city engineer Ashish Naik stated that SMC officials went on leave due to health issues arising from the "mental pressure" generated by the controversy. The demolition has raised questions about transparency and due process in Surat's municipal operations.
