Merger of Cantt with GHMC: Majority of SCB residents in favor of merger, says KTR

He was responding to the appeals by residents of the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) for the merger of cantonment areas with GHMC.

The Minister said he has sought public opinion on the issue through Twitter after he read reports in a section of the media regarding SCB residents' requests to merge the cantonment areas with GHMC a few days ago.

"Over 75 percent of people favored merger of cantonment limits with GHMC. This matter will be brought to the notice of the Chief Minister," Rama Rao said.

"There is a lack of coordination in implementing developmental schemes. The state government and the people are facing a lot of trouble. Moreover, the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) officials are closing roads as per their whims and fancies. This is causing a lot of hardships to the residents," the Minister said.

Apart from administrative and coordination issues between SCB and State government, other factors were compelling residents to demand merger with GHMC, He added that the government was unable to implement TS-bPASS or open Annapurna canteens in the region due to lack of cooperation from the SCB.

"The government is constructing flyovers, skyways, and other projects in the city. But the same can't be done in the cantonment area. The Board is not giving us permission to do any of these things. Their lack of cooperation is very unfortunate," Rama Rao said.

He said that around 75 percent of the Cantonment residents were in favor of a merger of the SCB with the GHMC. "We will take up this matter with Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. He will take the final call," Rama Rao said.

Further, the SCB authorities arbitrarily closed nearly 40 roads, subjecting residents to a lot of hardships, the Minister said. He said despite Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar and other officials taking up the issue with the Local Military Authority (LMA), there was no relief for residents.

"For the past seven years, the state government has been appealing to the Central government on different development projects like constructing skywalks and other issues but there has been no response," Rama Rao said. "This is even after the State government expressed its willingness to offer land for the projects.