Surat: The controversy surrounding Town Planning (TP) schemes 49, 50, and 51 in Katargam has now reached the national level. After local residents filed a complaint on the Central Government’s CPGRAMS portal, a petitioner received a call from officials in Delhi on Friday to understand the matter in detail. During the conversation, the petitioner became emotional and reportly stated that if the reservation on the plots is not removed, he might be driven to suicide.

According to available information, residents have long been protesting the reservation imposed on certain plots within TP schemes 49, 50, and 51. They claim that no reservation existed when the plots were purchased, but authorities later initiated action that could lead to the takeover of already constructed homes. The issue has repeatedly been raised before local authorities, including the corporator, Municipal Commissioner, Mayor, Standing Committee Chairman, and even the Chief Minister, but no resolution has been reached. Meanwhile, residents continue to receive notices to vacate the plots.

Recently, residents of the three TP schemes held large rallies and once again submitted representations to the Municipal Commissioner and Mayor. With no solution in sight, they submitted a complaint through the CPGRAMS portal a few days ago. Following this, a government official contacted the applicant, who stated that the property had been purchased in 2022 after verification with the municipal corporation, at which time no reservation existed. He alleged that the reservation was imposed later and appealed for its removal, saying the affected families are economically weak and had purchased the property with great difficulty. The applicant also sought a meeting with the Prime Minister regarding the issue. DeshGujarat