The Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has issued a notice to a textile businessman for installing a model of a fighter jet and two soldiers at the Pal-Hazira roundabout without permission. The model, set up by Paresh Khandelwal’s Yashvi Foundation, caused traffic jams as many people stopped to take photos and videos.
The installation, called ‘Operation Sindoor’, is 15×15 feet in size and 20 feet tall. It was put up to honour India’s strikes in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir after a terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, which killed 26 people.
The SMC said that although Khandelwal had applied for permission, the model was installed before approval was given. The civic body asked the foundation to remove it due to traffic issues.
Khandelwal confirmed that permission is still pending and added that the model is temporary and can be removed if needed.