SCB election notification disappoints local residents

HYDERABAD, Telangana: The Ministry of Defence, Government of India’s notification regarding the elections of Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) has disappointed the residents in the area who were awaiting the merger of their colonies with the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).  

The Ministry announced that elections to the 57 cantonment boards, including the Secunderabad Cantonment Board, will be held on April 30, 2023.

The notification disappointed the residents of SCB because they believe that after this election notification, the proposal to merge the SCB civilian areas with the GHMC will be on hold. The Resident Welfare Association (RWA), which has been advocating the merger is also not happy with the development.

The residents are saying that if the civilian area is merged with GHMC, then the residents would at least have elected GHMC corporators to highlight their issues and ask for the improvement of civic amenities from their elected representative. CS Chandrashekhar, Secretary, Federation of Northeastern Colonies of Secunderabad, informed that the central government has formed a committee to look into the proposed merger of the SCB civilian areas with GHMC. He said, “If the intention was to merge the areas, the election should have been delayed and held only after a decision is taken. The election notification indicates their reluctance for the merger.”

Apart from the proposed merger, it appears that the request of Yapral residents to reopen the closed road in SCB has also been shelved due to the election notification.