Taxed But Neglected: Surat Residents Fight for Basic Rights

Surat, Gujarat -– While the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) continues to expand its boundaries and collect taxes from newly integrated areas, a harsh reality is emerging: a shocking lack of basic facilities in these very zones, decades after their inclusion. This stark disconnect between revenue collection and service delivery has now escalated to the highest levels, with the Gujarat State Human Rights Commission (GSHRC) summoning the Surat Municipal Commissioner to appear on June 26 following a persistent complaint by social worker Kuldeep Gohel. The move exposes the SMC’s alleged indifference to citizen welfare, forcing accountability for years of neglect.

For too long, residents of areas newly incorporated into the SMC have voiced grievances about inadequate infrastructure, despite bearing the full burden of municipal taxes. Puna village, for instance, which officially became part of the SMC in 2006, remains a glaring example of this systemic failure. “Despite numerous complaints and representations from the locals as well as the corporators there, the locals there are deprived of basic facilities,” lamented Kuldeep Gohel, the social worker who has tirelessly championed the cause.

The issues in Puna are not minor. Even after the preliminary development plan (TP 20) was finalized in 2019, critical infrastructure projects have stalled. Roads are still not wide enough, essential public spaces like ‘Shantikunj’ (peace gardens) are missing, and accessible public toilets are nowhere to be found. Gohel’s relentless efforts to bring these deficiencies to the municipality’s attention yielded no results, leaving him no option but to petition the Gujarat State Human Rights Commission on March 21, 2025.

“Many basic facilities are not available in Pune village T.P. 20,” stated Kuldeep Gohel, detailing the litany of failures. “The T.P. roads are also not up to standard, there is no good playground for children to play. Shantikunj has not been built for the elderly either. There is also a lack of public urinal blocks in this T.P.”

Adding to the residents’ woes, Gohel highlighted a blatant misuse of public land: “The plots allotted for parking have also been converted and rented out to food court owners. Due to this, there is a need to park on the road and cars are parked as they please, obstructing traffic.” This alleged commercial exploitation of public spaces further exacerbates the civic woes of the area.

Gohel expressed his frustration with the municipal authorities, emphasizing the collective effort to resolve the issues. “The locals and the local corporators have made representations numerous times, but the administration has not listened to our pleas, so we have been forced to approach the Human Rights Commission,” he said, underscoring the last resort nature of his appeal.

The Human Rights Commission’s swift intervention, culminating in the summons for the Surat Municipal Commissioner, marks a critical turning point. It sends a clear message that persistent neglect of basic citizen rights will not be tolerated. As the date of the Commissioner’s appearance approaches, all eyes will be on the SMC, awaiting concrete plans and demonstrable action to address the longstanding grievances of Puna village and other neglected areas.