Surat: The Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has unsealed 16 properties in response to public agitation. This decision was made in a meeting of SMC officials on Saturday. It was decided that properties with a valid Building Use Certificate (BUC) and expired No Objection Certificate (NOC) could have their seals removed upon submission of an affidavit promising NOC renewal within 10 days.

After the Rajkot fire tragedy, municipal authorities, police, collectors, and electricity companies inspected over 800 premises across Surat, including textile markets, hospitals, schools, gyms, and malls. These inspections led to the sealing of more than 7,000 units due to missing permits such as the BUC and fire NOC.

In the wake of these actions, thousands of business owners took to the streets on Friday to express their frustration. Traders also voiced their concerns over the last two days with SMC officials. Responding to the escalating situation, Commissioner Agrawal convened a meeting on Saturday with the head of the fire department, B.K. Patel, where it was decided that properties with a valid BUC and expired NOC would be unsealed after submitting an affidavit promising NOC renewal within 10 days.

However, the decision’s impact on the majority of sealed properties remains uncertain. Despite this, 16 properties had their seals removed late Saturday night, including well-known markets like J.D. Textile Market, Swadeshi Market, Someshwar Market, Rituraj Unique Market, Galaxy Icon, Icon Textile Hub, and Roop Market. The sealing of over 7,000 shops in 16 markets along the ring road fueled protests, prompting the Deputy Municipal Commissioner to initiate the removal of seals from properties meeting the specified criteria. DeshGujarat