About 780 hutments erected illegally on the reserved plot of the Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) were demolished on 16th Dec 2017, clearing 75,000 square meter area for expanding the capacity of Katargam Water Works. SMC officials claim that the slum dwellers had illegally encroached upon the reserved plot of SMC besides the Katargam Water Works. On 22nd Dec 2017, around 500 hutment dwellers held a protest outside Katargam zonal office of SMC. These dwellers, mostly belonging to Devipujak community, wanted immediate biometric survey done of the place from where they were evicted and given alternative accommodation. Sources also reported that antisocial elements take rent, water and electricity charges from hutment dwellers and help them to encroach upon public places. The protesting slum dwellers have been asked to take benefit of economically weaker section (EWS) scheme of the municipal corporation.