Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Will the SCB works ever end?

- PHOTO: P. V. SIVAKUMAR

Official apathy: Garbage and debris piled up beside the Cantonment Gardens at Picket in Secunderabad

HYDERABAD: Snail’s pace would be quicker compared to progress of key works of the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB).

Its proposals to provide better civic amenities, be it wider roads or green spaces to people, is caught in a bureaucratic maze.

Annoyingly for citizens, the time lags are increasing by the day even for relatively ‘minor’ works like developing two parks in the Cantonment, which contrary to the popular impression, lacks a decent park. SCB had tied up with Hyderabad Urban Development Authority (HUDA) for improving an eight-acre park at Bolarum and another six-acre one at Picket.

More than a year after a pact was signed, not a single new sapling or any other maintenance work was taken up in either of these places.

The Picket site, beside Jubilee Bus Station, looks like a dump yard and was utilised to set up cracker shops during Deepavali, earning revenue to the Cantonment Board.

Sketches for the parks were prepared sometime ago and Rs. 5 crore was to be spent by HUDA to develop greenery, pathways and construct amenities like food courts, entertainment centre, parking facilities, etc. HUDA was to take gate receipts for five years.

“We are looking at alternative methods for developing the parks,” says an exasperated SCB Chief Executive Officer V. Premchand, indirectly admitting that there has been no movement from the planning body, now Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA), on this count.

Mandarins of the Ministry of Defence too are not lagging far behind.

The crucial road widening programme has been hamstrung with the new building bylaws yet to be promulgated. Local officials and politicians have been “convincing” affected property owners to allow the work and had succeeded to do so in some stretches, yet till a proper compensation package, including allowing more floor space index or built up space, it’s an uphill task, accepts Mr. Premchand.

Eight roads were identified for widening of which two – 8-km. road from Mahendra Hills to Military College of Electrical and Mechanical Engineering (MCEME) via Military Hospital and another five kilometre stretch from Safilguda railway station up to Secunderabad Club via AOC Gate were to be taken up early this year.

While the Army has informally agreed to part with 10 acres pertaining to these two roads of the total 26 acres of its land affected for widening following protracted negotiations, the official clearance letter is still to come.

The Cantonment Board in the meantime has finalised plans to build walls protecting Army properties.

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