HYDERABAD: The Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) has taken a significant step toward alleviating traffic congestion in Secunderabad by approving the allocation of 33 acres of land to the Telangana Government. The choice was made during a dedicated meeting on Friday with the goal of expanding roads from Paradise Circle to Suchitra Circle and from Gymkhana Grounds to Hakimpet Air Force Station.
This move holds the promise of enhancing the road infrastructure, leading to the anticipated easing of congestion in the Bowenpally and Tirumalagiri areas. The ultimate goal involves the expansion of roads connecting the Hyderabad-Nagpur national highway 44 and the Hyderabad-Karimnagar State highway one (Rajiv Rahdari).
While this decision is a significant stride forward, the larger vision of road expansion, skyway construction, and Metro corridors depends on the transfer of 157 acres of land from various defence units to the State Government. The allocation of this land was decided after a thorough collaborative survey carried out by the Defence Estate Officer (DEO), Secunderabad Circle, and the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA).
Madhukar Naik, CEO of the SCB, clarified that while 33 acres have been agreed upon, decisions regarding the remaining 124 acres are pending and require approval from the respective departments.
The allocated defense lands comprise various categories, including Army lands and leased land. As part of the arrangement, the SCB has requested Rs. 329 crore from the state government in exchange for the allocated 33 acres.
The Secunderabad Club, one of the country’s oldest clubs, is among the properties that need to surrender land for the Strategic Road Development Programme (SRDP) project. The club is expected to cede nearly 1 acre of its land to create the Right of Way (RoW) necessary for the proposed skyways.
Addressing questions from the media, D Madhukar Naik, Chief Executive Officer of the SCB, expressed confidence in the acquisition of Secunderabad Club’s land. The land of the club is situated within the boundaries set during the demarcation process concluded in 2017. The road width would need to be expanded to 60 meters from the current 30 meters to accommodate the skyway project requirements.
The State Government’s move follows sustained efforts to acquire these defence lands, vital for executing the proposed skyways and other projects aimed at mitigating traffic congestion. The proposal, initially introduced as part of the SRDP in 2017, gained momentum after Telangana’s Minister for Municipal Administration and Urban Development, KT Rama Rao, met with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in Delhi on June 23, advocating for the transfer of defence lands for this purpose.
