Surat: In a bizarre incident, more than 100 houses were allegedly demolished in the Nashir Nagar area of Katargam, but no one knows who razed them!.A major controversy has been triggered after the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) denied issuing any demolition orders and claimed it had no role in the action.The demolition, carried out on June 30, reportedly took place in the presence of SMC officials and police personnel, adding to the confusion over who actually authorised and executed the operation. While heavy machinery was seen clearing structures to make way for a road linked to a private construction project, civic authorities have maintained that no official demolition order was issued.With neither the civic body nor any agency taking responsibility, the incident has now come to be described as a “ghost demolition”, prompting questions over accountability and possible misuse of administrative presence at the site.Katargam MLA Vinu Moradiya termed the incident “extremely serious” and demanded strict action against those involved. “I spoke to the municipal commissioner, and he confirmed that no demolition order was given by SMC. I have sought clarity on who carried out the demolition. Since no one other than SMC has the authority to demolish homes, this raises a serious question of law being taken into one’s own hands,” he said.According to local accounts, bulldozers were deployed at the site to clear structures allegedly to facilitate road access for a private development project behind Nashir Nagar. SMC officials and police were present in the area at the time, further deepening the ambiguity surrounding the operation.SMC Standing Committee Chairman Rajan Patel said the civic body had not demolished any structure in the area. “This is a matter of investigation. We have ordered a detailed inquiry by senior officials to determine who carried out the demolition,” he said.Municipal commissioner M. Nagarajan clarified that the SMC team had visited the site only for a demarcation exercise related to a long-pending land issue. “During that time, some structures were demolished by another party. The land belongs to a private entity, and they may have deployed machinery. The SMC has no role in the demolition,” he said.With conflicting versions emerging from multiple stakeholders, the administration has initiated an inquiry to determine how large-scale demolition activity occurred in the presence of civic and police personnel without formal authorization.
