Located at the busy Bhagal crossing in the city, the Minar Masjid had become a bone of contention between the civic body and the masjid managing trust. In 1996, the trust had obtained a stay on the demolition of the masjid. But following a High Court okay -- on the condition that the place of worship was not touched -- the elected wing of the Surat Municipal Corporation began mounting pressure on the commissioner to pull down the part of the building on the road.

Meanwhile, the trust moved the court once again seeking a stay, and was granted relief till August 3. ``But considering the larger interest of the city as well as communal harmony, the trust decided to hand over the rear part of the masjid to the SMC'', Mehmood Iqbal of the trust said, when asked what prompted it to go in for self-demolition despite a stay order. ``If hundreds of shops can be demolished, why can't we pull down a part of a masjid that is impeding road alignment?'' he asked. According to Iqbal, the commissioner had allowed them to construct a minar for prayers inside the masjid. He added that the new minar would be constructed within a month.