Illegal occupant removed from EWS flat in Ahmedabad

Surat Municipal Corporation's (SMC) had to intervention to restore possession of a EWS flat in Subhash Nagar, to its actual owner, after it had been forcefully occupied by someone else.

Guddu Narayan, a slum dweller from Subhash nagar slums lost his home, few weeks back, after civic body's demolition drive to remove encroachments on banks of river Tapi. Narayan was allotted EWS flat (9/A) in building No. H-1, built at Kosad by SMC.

However, owing to some family problems, he postponed shifting into the flat and went to his native place in UP. When he came to flat with his family, he was shocked to find someone already living in it.

When Narayan asked the occupant to leave the flat, the person living illegally, quarrelled with Narayan and later went away after locking the flat. Perplexed by the situation, he informed officials of slum pp gradation cell in SMC. Officials rushed to Kosad and with help of Katargam zone officials broke the lock and handed over flat to Narayan, again. Officials are still unaware as to how Narayan's flat was occupied by someone else, with officials in dark.

The episode raises serious questions over the security aspects of flats allotted by the civic body. "We are investigating the matter.

There might be more cases, where rather than real beneficiary, somebody else might be living. We have also learnt that some gang, which is occupying flats, which are not occupied by anybody for one or other reason," an official in slum up gradation cell said, requesting anonymity.