The demand for the merger of civilian areas of the Secunderabad Cantonment with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) has become a hot topic as the electioneering comes to a close. Local residents are pressuring candidates to make the merger issue a priority. The key aspirants, N Sriganesh of the BJP, LasyaNanditha of BRS, and Dr. G Venella of Congress, are actively reaching out to the locals and promising to fast-track the merger if they come to power.
During Defense Minister Rajnath Singh’s recent visit, members of the Residents’ Welfare Associations of SCB submitted letters regarding the merger. Locals have also released pamphlets and handed them over to key aspirants. The residents have been living in the Cantonment for decades with no infrastructure development. They believe that development can only happen if the merger takes place.
A committee formed earlier has already submitted a report on the merger. However, the process is taking too long as it requires an order from the Ministry of Defense (MoD). The residents are urging the state government to intervene and hold talks with the Centre to expedite the merger. They have been approaching political parties and asking them to include the merger issue as a main agenda in the segment.
The Cantonment lacks proper development, and no civil works can proceed without permission from the Centre. The residents believe that the only solution is the merger. They have been approaching candidates and explaining that the merger is necessary for the growth and development of Secunderabad. The locals have been facing difficulties in owning properties due to issues with building by-laws and other facilities.
