Telangana: Cantonment Bill only hope to herald governance in Secunderabad Cantonment Board, say residents

SECUNDERABAD: While the fate of the Cantonment Bill 2022 still hangs in balance, residents of the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) confess they are anxiously waiting for its passage. Reason: Better amenities and infrastructure, on par with neighbouring GHMC.“If the Cantonment Bill gets approved, we are certain that the living condition of the people will improve,” said Santosh Raj, a resident of Margadarshi Colony ruing how even after six decades, residents of SCB are deprived of good governance. Echoing the same sentiments, Jeetender Surana, a resident of Bollarum and general secretary of the All-Cantonment Citizens Welfare Association said: “The Cantonments are starved of civic amenities and development activities that residents of neighbouring municipal areas take for granted.” The association tabled multiple representations before the Union ministry of defence (MoD) by made certain suggestions regarding the Cantonment Bill-2022, at the drafting stage.Residents say that Union defence minister, Rajnath Singh’s assurance that the Cantonment Draft Bill is under finalisation and that the framework for cutting out civil areas of certain Cantonments -- to merge them with neighbouring state municipalities -- is under consultation with concerned states, have given them hope. They are also looking forward to the bill as it assures to give more power to the CEOs of the Cantonment Boards in providing basic facilities to residents living in the areas. “We are fed up with the current administration and the fact that everything is controlled by the MoD. It is almost feels like, civilians in Cantonment areas haven’t git independence even after all these years. This needs to change,” said a resident of from Trimulgherry.Pushing for the bill and a merger with the GHMC, D L Sreshti, secretary of the Confederation of RWAs added, “Any change that will benefit the people of SCB and ensure good, fair governance is welcomed by us.”