‘Good houses’ proposed for rehabilitation replaced with ‘dilapidated’ homes: Surat demolition victims tell Gujarat HC

The rehabilitation dispute comes after the Gujarat High Court had earlier observed that if the demolition at Nasirnagar was carried out illegally, the responsibility and cost of rehabilitating those affected would lie with the authorities.

The issue arose during a hearing before the Gujarat High Court in a petition challenging the demolition, which has previously come under judicial scrutiny amid allegations that the exercise was carried out illegally .

During Monday’s hearing, the petitioners’ lawyer told the court that the affected residents had initially been shown houses under the PM Awas Yojana in Jahangirpura.

The residents had visited the houses and agreed to the proposed rehabilitation, including the offer of 1-BHK units.

However, the lawyer said the government later changed the rehabilitation location and proposed houses in Adajan and Bhestan instead.