Surat Municipal Corporation Halts School Site Shift After Chief Minister's Directive
The Surat Municipal Corporation has stopped a controversial plan to change the construction site of Suman High School. This decision came directly from Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. The standing committee chairman acted on these instructions during a meeting on Friday.
Protests Force Reconsideration
Residents and councillors from both BJP and AAP parties raised strong objections to the proposed relocation. They argued that municipal officials changed the school site without proper procedures. The original plan placed the school in Katargam's Ward 7, but officials shifted it to Ved Road in Ward 8.
Rajan Patel, who chairs the standing committee, personally directed municipal staff to stop all construction work at the new site. He expressed surprise that officials made this change without committee approval. Patel immediately informed Municipal Commissioner Shalini Agarwal about this procedural violation.
Residents Voice Their Concerns
Four hundred residents from Ward 7 submitted a formal memorandum to municipal authorities. They explained that their community consists of low and middle-income families. These families cannot afford expensive private school fees. Having Suman High School in their ward would provide essential educational access.
The residents warned they would stage protests if the school wasn't built at the originally proposed location. Their memorandum specifically requested keeping the school at TP scheme number 50, final plot 94 in Ward 7 instead of moving it to Ward 8.
Political Pressure and Internal Conflicts
BJP MLA Veenu Moradiya had pushed for the site change through official letters. He claimed Ved Road would better serve lower-income students. However, this created tension with local BJP councillors who supported the original Ward 7 location.
AAP councillors took their protest directly to municipal offices. Dr Kishor Rupareliya and Dipti Sakariya staged an overnight dharna outside the standing committee chairman's office. They only withdrew their protest after Friday's meeting addressed their concerns.
Background of the Controversy
The school project has a complicated history. Last year, BJP councillors Narendra Pandav and Jyoti Patel first proposed establishing Suman High School in Ward 7. The standing committee approved this proposal on July 17, followed by the general board meeting.
Municipal officials completed the tendering process and selected Gaurav Builders as the contractor. Union Jal Shakti Minister C R Paatil even laid the foundation stone on September 17, 2025. Everything seemed settled until MLA Moradiya's October letter requesting the site change.
Sources indicate municipal officials then collaborated with the contractor to shift construction to Ward 8. Work had already progressed to plinth level at the new site before Friday's intervention stopped it.
Official Reactions and Next Steps
Standing Committee Chairman Rajan Patel made his position clear. "We have put a hold on the construction of Suman High School at the new site," he stated. "We are shocked that municipal officials changed the site without committee permission. Such indiscipline will not be tolerated."
Patel has instructed Municipal Commissioner Agarwal to launch a formal investigation. The probe must identify which officials authorized the unauthorized site change. Strict legal action will follow against those found responsible.
BJP councillor Narendra Pandav expressed satisfaction with the outcome. "The standing committee made the right decision for thousands of Ward 7 residents," he said. "These low-income families desperately need this school for their children's education."
The controversy highlights ongoing tensions within local BJP leadership. Sources mention a "long internal tussle" between councillor Pandav and MLA Moradiya over several issues. This school site conflict appears to be part of that larger struggle.
For now, construction remains suspended at both potential sites. Municipal authorities must complete their investigation before determining the school's final location. The standing committee's decisive action has temporarily resolved the immediate crisis, but underlying political tensions continue.
