After Gujarat High Court Rebuke, Surat Civic Body Begins Housing Draw for 28 Nasir Nagar Families

Surat Municipal Corporation will hold a housing draw for 28 families affected by the Nasir Nagar demolition, months after the Gujarat High Court criticised the civic body's handling of the case.

The draw, scheduled to be conducted by the Central Zone in the presence of the affected families, marks the beginning of the process to provide alternative housing to people who were left homeless after a large-scale demolition drive.

One family has already been allotted accommodation at Bhestan Housing and has therefore been excluded from the draw.

For many others, however, the wait is not over. Around 40 affected families are still living at the Katargam Community Hall, while several others have moved into rented accommodation after losing their homes.

28 Families Await Housing Allotment

The Central Zone is expected to conduct the draw for 28 eligible families from the available housing stock.

The process follows strong observations by the Gujarat High Court after the demolition and the subsequent plight of families who were left without permanent shelter.

The civic body has now moved ahead with alternative housing allotments, raising hopes among families who have spent months waiting for a permanent roof over their heads.

One affected family had already received a house at Bhestan Housing in 2015. Since that family already has an allotment, it will not participate in the latest draw.

Around 100 Houses Were Demolished

The controversy began on May 30 when Surat Municipal Corporation carried out a large-scale demolition drive in Nasir Nagar, which falls under the Central Zone.

Around 100 kutcha and semi-pucca houses were demolished, leaving poor and working-class families without homes.

The demolition reportedly took place overnight, triggering widespread criticism and raising serious questions over the manner in which the affected residents were displaced.

The incident soon became a major issue not only in Surat but across Gujarat, with allegations levelled against the functioning of the municipal administration.

Families Shifted to Katargam Community Hall

Following the demolition, temporary accommodation was arranged for several affected families at the Katargam Community Hall.

While some families later shifted to rented homes or made their own arrangements, around 40 families are still living in the community hall.

For these families, temporary shelter has continued far longer than expected, with the question of permanent rehabilitation remaining unresolved for months.

The housing draw for 28 families could provide relief to a section of those affected, but it does not immediately address the situation of every family displaced in the demolition.

High Court Criticism Puts Pressure on Civic Body

The matter eventually reached the Gujarat High Court, where the handling of the demolition and the subsequent rehabilitation arrangements came under scrutiny.

The court strongly criticised the role of the municipal authorities and the police machinery and pressed the administration to take steps towards providing alternative housing to the affected families.

Following the court's intervention, the process of allotting houses appears to have gained momentum.

The Central Zone's housing draw is being seen as the first significant step towards rehabilitation after the demolition drive left dozens of families without permanent homes.

Relief for Some, Questions Remain for Others

The proposed allotment will cover 28 families, while one family already has accommodation at Bhestan Housing.

However, the larger rehabilitation issue remains unresolved.

Around 100 families were affected by the demolition, though not all continue to stay in the temporary shelter. Some have shifted to rented accommodation, while others have made separate living arrangements.

Nearly 40 families, however, are still living at the Katargam Community Hall and continue to wait for a permanent solution.

The housing draw has brought fresh hope to those selected for allotment, but the rehabilitation of the remaining displaced families is likely to remain a key issue in the Nasir Nagar demolition case.