Residents of several colonies in Secunderabad Cantonment area, who have been facing severe hardships owing to restrictions placed on the movement of traffic by the military establishment, have a reason to smile.
The Central government has issued orders constituting a committee to finalise the modalities for removal of civil areas from the cantonment area and merge them with the adjoining municipal corporation, which could be construed as GHMC.
The orders cite a letter from the Ministry of Defence in May, 2022, proposing modalities for the said excision of civil areas from the Cantonment, and another communication from the Telangana government giving consent in principle for the said excision.
The eight-member committee headed by Joint Secretary and Additional Financial Advisor, Ministry of Defence, will deliberate on aspects such as land and immovable assets, Cantonment Board employees and pensioners, cantonment funds, civic services, movable properties and stores, road management and traffic and records, among others, and submit its report in a month’s time.
Secretary, Municipal Administration and Urban Development, will be the lone member from the Telangana government in the committee, with other members being the Joint Secretary (Land & Works), Additional DG (Cantonments) from the Directorate General Defence Estates, Additional DG (Land, Works, Environment), Army Headquarters, Director, Defence Estates, Southern Command, Pune, President, Cantonment Board, Secunderabad, and CEO, Secunderabad Cantonment Board, who will also function as the member-secretary.
Merger with GHMC has been a long-pending demand from civilian residents of Secunderabad Cantonment area, whose movements have been restricted through road closure by the Defence authorities time and again, requiring intervention from the State government every time for opening the roads. Another refrain is the lack of development in areas under Secunderabad Cantonment Board, compared to localities under GHMC, with every developmental proposal having to be routed through the Ministry of Defence for execution.
