Surat: Following a High Court directive regarding encroachments by religious structures on public roads, the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has removed another such structure this week.

On Monday night, a major operation was carried out on Lambehnuman Road, where a long-standing dargah was obstructing traffic flow. This operation was conducted with utmost secrecy, with tight police security in place. The area was cordoned off after 11 pm, and the demolition began after midnight.

Due to the structure’s strength, the operation was expected to continue for several hours. The cleared space will now be handed over to the Metro authorities for their ongoing construction work.

To maintain secrecy, mobile phones were strictly prohibited during the demolition, except for high-ranking officials. Strict surveillance was also in place to prevent any unauthorized photography or videography.

It’s worth noting that SMC Commissioner Shalini Aggarwal has initiated a series of midnight operations to clear roads of these encroachments. The first operation targeted a dargah and a mataji’s temple situated in the middle of the road near Sahara Darwaja on the Ring Road. Subsequently, another dargah adjacent to the Ved-Variav bridge was removed. DeshGujarat