HYDERABAD: While welcoming the merger of Secunderabad Cantonment’s civilian areas with GHMC, residents say that certain revisions in the modalities has left them apprehensive. Their key concerns: split in authority over infrastructure permissions and inadequate funds. They are also worried about certain roads being closed again.
In its communication on Jan 4, 2023, the ministry of defence (MoD) had assured the transfer of all proprietary rights to the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation on the lines of the modalities used during the excision of Yol Cantonment in Himachal Pradesh in 2022. In its latest letter issued on June 28, this has been revised to “proprietary rights over assets meant for providing civic amenities and municipal services”.
Impacts on property rights
This, residents say, will particularly hit 5,200 properties built on B3 land (or old grants land) – belonging to the ministry of denfence.
“If the GHMC only has rights for civic works on this land, residents here will still have to approach the MoD for all other works such as construction, modification etc to their property. Only sanitation works in these places will be GHMC’s prerogative,” explained Jeetendra Surana, secretary of the Secunderabad Cantonment Citizen’s Welfare Association.
Under the old modalities, residents could seek such permissions from the state govt. Referring to another clause that states that land parcels located close to “certain Army lands such as service stations and training centres,” will be dealt with on a “case to case basis”, residents said that it could adversely impact those owning such properties. “Places such as Balaji Nagar, Yapral and Bolarum have a lot of agricultural land pockets adjacent to Army land. These owners will now have to live with uncertainty about the fate of their land. Also, in case they want to sell it, MoD will need to be involved,” said Srinivasan. This clause too was not there in the earlier communication.
Meanwhile, Pankaj Sethi, a member of the Federation of Northeastern Colonies (FNECS) claimed that there is also a threat of roads shutting again due to military stations. “There is a possibility of three stations being created in Bolarum, Trimulgherry and AOC Centre after the excision. If that happens, roads can be closed again,” he said.
Sethi’s concern is rooted in the fact that the Army has already started building gates such as Bison gate and Lakdawala gate near Yapral. “I hope it is not an indication of roads being closed for civilians in the future,” he said.
