Cantonment controversy: KTR holds review meeting with army officials

Hyderabad: In a glimmer of hope for residents of the Secunderabad Cantonment and other military areas in the capital region, Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister KT Rama Rao on Tuesday had a review meeting with Army officials including General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Dakshin Bharat Area, Lt Gen A Arun.

The meeting, which saw the Army officials assuring the Minister that the Local Military Authority would cooperate with the State government in matters of development and that the Army would coordinate with the GHMC, Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority and other departments for smooth progress of developmental works.

Joint inspections are also scheduled to be held soon, according to a press release, which said the primary issues discussed at the meeting were closure of roads in the Secunderabad Cantonment Board jurisdiction, works related to the widening of the Balkapur nala that flows through the Army area, road laying and widening, construction of a skyway at Mehdipatnam and development of a link road passing through Golconda Golf Course, Dollar Hills and Neknampur.

The Minister told the Army officials that since the State was formed, infrastructure was being developed in a major way on all four sides of Hyderabad, with a host of developmental works proposed in the Army area too.

However, though he had met the Defence Minister and higher officials of the Ministry of Defence and gave several representations seeking acquisition of lands for construction of the proposed skyways, Rama Rao said there was no proactive move from the Centre yet. He also stated that due to closure of roads, people especially from Malkajgiri and its vicinity, were facing hardships.

Lt Gen A Arun and the team have assured they would extend complete support to the State government for developmental works. As for the issue of road closures, the Army officials said the sites would soon be inspected along with GHMC officials. They also said the Army would extend support to the construction of the Mehdipatnam skywalk and the link road crossing the Golconda Golf Course.

The Minister, thanking the Army team for the assurances, said the State government had utmost respect for the Army. When it came to honouring the Army, the State government was a role model for other States in the country. Honouring Galwan martyr Colonel B Santosh Babu was one such example, he added.

Urban Development Special Chief Secretary Arvind Kumar and GHMC Commissioner DS Lokesh Kumar were also present.