SCB poll bugle dashes residents' merger hopes

SCB poll bugle dashes residents merger hopes
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With the announcement of the schedule for the Secunderabad Cantonment Board elections, the residents fear that the merger process would be delayed further or may remain on paper

Hyderabad: With the announcement of the schedule for the Secunderabad Cantonment Board elections, the residents fear that the merger process would be delayed further or may remain on paper.

People residing in the SCB were hoping that if the SCB was merged with the GHMC it would help remove all restrictions such as the closure of roads and will get better civic amenities. They are now a disappointed lot with the announcement of the elections. They feel that the notification for polls in all 8 wards of the SCB is a clear indication that there would be no merger of these areas with the GHMC at least for now.

The local people told Hans India that hopes ran high as there were indications both from the SCB and the GHMC that the Centre was favourable for giving up their control over the SCB areas and a final order from the Union Ministry of Defence would come soon. As a result of non-merger for several years, civilians living in the Cantonment areas are being denied of all schemes being implemented by the Central government as well as the State government.

They are also facing serious problems regarding the implementation of building by-laws or owning property or other facilities. For instant, in the GHMC stamp duty for registration of properties is 7.5 percent but in SCB areas they have to pay 11 percent, said S Ravindra, general secretary of Vikas Manch.

The merger is the only solution for proper development of the area which has been suffering due to lack of improvement of basic infrastructural facilities.

Even roads are very narrow, and no civil works can proceed without the permission of the Central government, people residing here rue.

What is worse is that there is no proper equipment to clean the nalas. Road users face harrowing time as 21 roads have been closed by local military authorities (LMA), they say.

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