Secunderabad Cantonment Board elections, civil area merger discussed with Defence Secretary

During Defence Joint Secretary Rakesh Mittal’s Hyderabad visit, representations were submitted on Secunderabad Cantonment Board elections and civil area merger with GHMC. NGOs and officials urged timely action, infrastructure access, and resolution of pending governance issues.

Hyderabad: Representations were submitted regarding the conduct of Secunderabad Cantonment Board elections and the excision of Secunderabad Cantonment Board civil areas for merger into the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation when Defence Joint Secretary Rakesh Mittal visited Hyderabad on Tuesday.

Though the purpose of Mittal’s visit was kept confidential, sources in the Cantonment Board told Telangana Today that it was meant to discuss transfer of Defence land to the proposed two alternative roads at AoC Circle, SCB elevated corridor issue, and other issues in the Secunderabad Cantonment. “In fact, B Ajith Reddy, the Special Secretary to the Chief Minister, A Revanth Reddy, too met the Defence Secretary,” an official said.

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The general secretary of Cantonment Board-based NGO Cantonment Vikas Manch, Sanki Ravinder Babu, in their representation urged that while the GHMC expanded its jurisdiction with merger of 27 ULBs, the Secunderabad Cantonment remained an island due to inordinate delay in the excision process of civil areas merging into neighbouring GHMC for the past three years. “The Defence Joint Secretary positively responded to our plea and assured that he will look into the matter after reaching Delhi,” said Sanki.

Malkajgiri MP Etala Rajender urged the defence official to provide access through a 0.8 km stretch of defence land located between the Medchal Highway No 8 and Dairy Farm X Road to reach Suchitra MMTS railway station.

Vice President, Confederation of Cantonment Residents Welfare Association (CCRWAS), Telukunta Satish Gupta demanded the conduct of Cantonment Board elections, which have been pending since 2020.