After ‘ganja selling’ video & BJP MLA’s letter, Surat civic body demolishes encroachments under flyover, evicts over 250

Two days ago, AAP leader and member of Gaurav Samithi, an NGO, Vishal Vasoya, posted a video of a minor boy selling ganja (marijuana) while lying on a bed beneath the Varachha flyover. The video has gone viral on social media, drawing several comments. In the video, several people were seen buying ganja in small plastic pouches from the minor boy. Some youths were also seen smoking ganja in the same area.

Kanani, a BJP MLA from Varachha Road constituency, on Thursday sent an open letter addressed to Surat Municipal Commissioner Shalini Agrawal and Surat Police Commissioner Anupam Singh Gahlaut, raising the alleged drug activities under Varachha Flyover, which is around 7 kilometres long.

“Illegal encroachments were done by people in the area below the flyover, starting from the Suryapur railway culvert to the Sarthana check post, an area covering 7 kilometres. Apart from settlements, people park JCB machines, trucks, and tempos there. People are selling and consuming ganja and other drugs in places where such illegal encroachments are done. The local people and several social organisations have made representations many times, but no action has been taken,” the BJP MLA said in his letter.

“The SMC should coordinate with the Surat police and bring a permanent solution to such nuisance and reply to me in writing how many days action will be taken,” Kanani said in the letter, which he also posted on social media platforms.

Acting on the letter, SMC Varachha zone officials, along with Surat police department officials, reached the spot and started removing the encroachments. During the day-long drive, the SMC officials removed the encroachments below the flyover and loaded it onto 10 trucks. Over 250 people staying in tents below the bridge were evicted.

An official of SMC with Varachha zone said, “The illegal encroachments below the flyover and in the road divider at Vallabhacharya road in Varachha have been removed. We have received a complaint and acted on it. We will ensure that the area is free from encroachment in future.”