In Begumpet, a bustling area of Hyderabad, where gleaming car showrooms and upscale restaurants line the main road, there exists the quieter Rasoolpura that often goes unnoticed. Just behind the vibrant facade, in the narrow lanes beside Begumpet Traffic Police Station, lies a part of Ward 2 of the Secunderabad Cantonment area.
Here, Sajida Begum, 57, lives in a modest one-bedroom house with her two sons and their wives. Her home stands in stark contrast to the bright lights and big-city sheen just a street away. Sajida’s daily life is marked by a struggle that many in her ward face: erratic water supply.
“We get water once in six days. It’s a challenge managing our family’s needs with such limited supply,” she laments. An unseen line demarcates the cantonment area and the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) area, marking a significant difference in the quality of life.
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Sajida’s home stands at the entrance of a narrow lane lined with modest houses like hers. Adjacent to it is a distinctive 2,000-litre black water tank, positioned at knee height with three taps attached to it at the bottom. Unlike the traditional rooftop tanks that supply water to most homes, this tank holds borewell water. “When our regular water supply runs dry, this tank becomes our lifeline. It is what we rely on for cooking, drinking, and bathing.”
Despite being located in a bustling area of Hyderabad, parts of the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) struggle with inadequate infrastructure and erratic water supply. But the potential merger of the SCB with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has sparked hope among residents of better living conditions and resolution of long-standing issues.
Those advocating for the merger believe it could resolve longstanding issues by integrating the area into a larger municipal framework. However, some residents argue that addressing specific concerns, such as irregular water supply and higher property taxes, would make the merger unnecessary. As the Ministry of Defence progresses with guidelines for excising civil areas from cantonment limits, the debate continues on how best to improve the quality of life for SCB residents.
For instance, in Balamrai, a locality in Ward 3 located right next to the boundary wall of Begumpet Airport, the monsoon brings more than just rain. “It is not only the lanes, even our homes get flooded. And that brings life to a halt. Every time before elections, when the candidates come to ask for votes, they promise to resolve this problem, but decades have passed and governments have changed, but our situation remains the same,” says P. Padmaja, a housewife.
Ramesh, a general store owner in Karkhana area, says, “When the cantonment area is merged with GHMC, water facilities and infrastructure will likely improve. Almost all parts of GHMC get water supply every other day. Even if we start getting water every two days, that would be a victory for us.”
In a meeting conducted on June 25, Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane, along with Army Headquarters, Directorate General of Defence Estates, and representatives from nine State governments including Telangana, addressed the SCB-GHMC merger issue.
Despite being located in a bustling area of Hyderabad, parts of Secunderabad Cantonment Board struggle with inadequate infrastructure and erratic water supply. | Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL
“It is anathema that in independent India, the municipal administration in the cantonments still continues to be controlled by the Army and Defence Estates Organisation, instead of elected public representatives... In light of the vision outlined by the Prime Minister that symbols of colonial legacy be removed, the government of India has decided to excise the civil areas of cantonments and merge them with adjoining State municipalities so that such areas are administered by democratic institutions under the local municipal laws in uniformity with municipal areas. The residual areas of cantonments meant for armed forces shall be retained by the Ministry of Defence as military stations,” it was decided.
According to plan, military areas within the Secunderabad cantonment will be designated as ‘exclusive military stations’, while civilian areas will be integrated into GHMC.
Colonial-era origin
Cantonment towns in India, besides Secunderabad, have their origin in the colonial era when the British established military stations to maintain control and secure their territorial interests. These areas are unique in that they comprise both military and civilian populations, unlike military stations, which are exclusively dedicated to the training and accommodation of the armed forces. Cantonments are designated areas under Parliament’s Cantonment Act, while military stations are established through executive orders.
While Hyderabad is characterised by its urban life, modern infrastructure and seamless public services, Secunderabad cantonment retains a unique blend of military heritage and civilian habitation. In 1798, through an alliance signed between Hyderabad Nizam Sikander Jah and the British East India Company, an area north of Hussainsagar was turned into a cantonment named Secunderabad after the ruler. The British chose the area due to its strategic location, situated north of Musi River and adjacent to Hyderabad, the capital of the erstwhile princely state.
The cantonment area stands apart due to its notable absence of traffic issues plaguing Hyderabad. While roads are narrower, they offer a quieter, cleaner, and less noisy environment. However, due to restrictions, public transport options are limited.
“A few decades ago, many roads near the military establishments within the cantonment area were also closed by the local military authorities, citing security reasons. Slowly, after many representations by the residents to the SCB and Ministry of Defence, they were opened,” says D. Yadagiri, 47, who lives in East Marredpally, a residential suburb of Secunderabad.
The Secunderabad cantonment area is governed by SCB, a local body under the administrative control of the Ministry of Defence, government of India. SCB is responsible for providing civic amenities to the residents of the cantonment area and operates as an urban local body established under the Cantonments Act of 1924, now governed by the Cantonments Act of 2006.
Currently, there are 62 cantonments across India, distributed among six army commands and categorised into four based on population. Secunderabad Cantonment falls under Category I, in which the population exceeds 50,000. It is the second largest cantonment board in India, following the Bathinda Cantonment in Punjab. It comprises eight civilian wards with a population of approximately four lakh. As a primarily military area, covering an area of 40.13 square kilometres, it hosts several military camps.
Secunderabad cantonment is surrounded by the former municipalities of Malkajgiri, Alwal, Kukatpally, and Kapra, all of which have now been merged into the GHMC. It is unique in the country for having the largest area of private land within its boundaries; it encompasses 279 private housing colonies/layouts, 13 villages, and 16 notified civil/bazaar areas.
Expansive area
The Secunderabad cantonment spans 10,000 acres and is divided into seven categories. A1 and A2 lands, covering 5,670 acres, belong to the Indian Army, while B1 lands, totaling 414 acres, are owned by the Central government. B2 lands, constituting 2,676 acres, are private properties of residents. B3 lands are old grant lands that will be retained by the government of India and later transferred to the GHMC after the merger. B4 lands, covering 98 acres, are vacant and will be retained by the government and transferred to GHMC post merger.
The C category (Secunderabad cantonment) lands cover 260 acres, with the government retaining key areas such as the Bison Polo Ground and Gymkhana Ground, leaving 160 acres. Besides, there are 235 acres of civil areas.
In total, 3,071 acres will be merged into GHMC, including 2,676 acres of B2 lands (privately-owned), 235 acres of civil areas, and 160 acres of cantonment land. The remaining will be retained by the Indian Army and Central government.
The General Officer Commanding (GOC) or Deputy GOC of the Indian Army’s Telangana and Andhra Sub Area serves as the president of SCB.
The executive authority of the board is held by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), an Indian Defence Estates Service (IDES) officer appointed by the Union Defence Ministry. Half of the Board members are elected by the civilian population of the cantonment during general elections, while the other half includes the CEO, the Hyderabad District Collector, and military officers nominated by the Board president.The local Member of Parliament (MP) and Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA), although not Board members, are treated as special invitees to Board meetings as per the Cantonment Act.
“The issue of the merger began in 1955. The government of India formed several committees, including the Sangma Commission and the Sumit Bose Commission, which recommended merging cantonments with adjoining municipal areas,” says Sanki Ravinder Babu, general secretary of Cantonment Vikas Manch, an NGO operating within the SCB area. “In 2023, the Ministry of Defence initiated a pilot programme to merge the Kasol cantonment in Himachal Pradesh with its adjoining municipal organisation. Following this, the Ministry recommended all cantonment boards across the country undertake a similar exercise to excise civil areas from their jurisdiction,” says Ravinder Babu.
Back and forth
For the Secunderabad cantonment, a six-member committee was formed, involving the Municipal Administration and Urban Development department of the Telangana government. The State government issued a single-line No-Objection Certificate (NOC) allowing the SCB-GHMC merger to proceed. Based on that, the government of India constituted a high-level committee and requested the SCB to submit a final report within a month.
“Meanwhile, issues, particularly those concerning staff salaries, arose in the Kasol cantonment as it was being merged with a gram panchayat. The affected staff wrote to the Labour Commissioner of India, who assured them that their jobs and pensions were secure. Subsequently, in March this year, the government of India issued a gazette for merging 10 cantonments across the country with their adjoining municipal organisations. But Secunderabad cantonment did not find a mention,” explains Ravinder Babu.
This was because a representation was made by SCB member J. Ramakrishna, who in a letter to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in December 2023, argued that the merger was unnecessary and unwarranted.
“To win the hearts of the people, the government of India may consider approving new building bylaws with enhanced Floor Space Index (FSI) limits, surpassing the existing limits. This measure would not only address the concerns raised but also eliminate the demand for excising the civil areas of Secunderabad cantonment with the local municipality,” an excerpt from the letter read. Secunderabad MP and Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy endorsed the representation.
Discussing building bylaws, Ravinder Babu says the cantonment area has an FSI limit of 1.5, allowing for up to two floors in addition to the ground floor. In contrast, residential areas under GHMC limits have an FSI cap of 2.5, permitting more floors. This is one benefit of the merger, as it would enable people to expand their homes.
Another benefit is the property tax issue. “Under GHMC, if one owns about 5,000 square feet of space, the yearly property tax would be around ₹20,000, but in cantonment limits, for the same space, the tax would be ₹60,000,” he asserts.
Besides, if an individual purchases land under GHMC limits, the stamp duty is 7.5%, whereas in the cantonment area, it is 11%. “Despite paying a considerably higher percentage of stamp duty, residents still don’t enjoy the same amenities as they would in GHMC limits,” adds Ravinder Babu.
Citizens’ push
The Secunderabad Cantonment Citizens Welfare Association, a non-profit organisation, has been advocating for the merger for a decade now.
“We started our efforts in 2014 with representations to various Defence Ministers including Arun Jaitley, Manohar Parrikar and Nirmala Sitharaman, and continued to press the issue with Rajnath Singh. Our persistent lobbying has led to the Ministry forming an expert committee to explore the merger, to which the association made detailed presentations,” says Jeetendra Surana, honorary secretary of the association.
However, some residents believe that if the Ministry of Defence addresses just a few key concerns, a merger would be unnecessary.
“There are three main issues currently driving the demand for a merger: ensuring adequate water supply to all eight wards, the Central government clearing pending service charge of ₹750 crore, and standardising the property registration fee on par with GHMC limits. If these three major issues are resolved, there would be not be any need for a merger,” says Telukunta Satish Gupta, an activist residing in Secunderabad cantonment area.
Gupta also highlights how the last election for SCB was conducted in 2015, when eight members were elected from their respective wards. Although their tenure ended in 2020, no elections have been held, so the same governing council continues.
“If the Ministry had conducted timely elections for the SCB, the merger issue would not have arisen,” he adds.
With the impending merger, the lush greenery around the 10,000 acres of the Secunderabad cantonment area, often referred to as the “lung space” of the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, may be impacted by the increase in taller buildings and rapid urbanisation. While this development could negatively impact the environment, residents say they are in support of the merger as they have been deprived of basic amenities for far too long.
Published - July 12, 2024 07:56 am IST
