Development works put on backburner as Secunderabad Cantonment braces for polls

Secunderabad: Elections are fought on the promises made to the electorate by the politiciansduring the poll campaign, as they act as a key link between them.However, most of them remain unfulfilled or forgotten due to the lack of political will, and funds by the elected representatives. As Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) gears up for another poll battle in the upcoming summer, many promises made in the last seven years, such as road widening works, drainage lines, and parks development,remain unfulfilled. Ahead of Board'selections, the authorities remain silent on these unkept election promises.

Taking a dig at the Board for not fulfilling the promises made, locals pointed out that even basic amenities like removal of waterlogging points, setting up water tanks, and major development works that include laying of new roads, Strategic Nala Development works, and even shifting of dump yard at Mahatma Gandhi community hall, Tirmulgherry were not taken up.

Maheshwar Reddy, former vice president of SCB, said, "Minor works like removing water logging points were not taken up, leave alone the major works.Various works, includinglaying underground pipelines and several others are only lying on papers. Yet Rs 700 crore service chargesarestill pending from the Ministry of Defence(MoD), due to which several development works have not been taken up. Despite the MoD's decision to mergethe civilian areas of the cantonment with the GHMC, they have announced elections. It appears that the government of India lacks clarity on how to address the problem in the Cantonment areas."

Mainly road widening works have been pending for years, as almost all the roads at SCB limits are narrow,leading to huge vehicular traffic during busy hours every day. We have submitted many pleas to concernedofficials to take up the proposed works, but they have failed to redress the grievances, he added.

"In these seven years, the last election was held in 2015 after, that various development works were proposed, but only 30 percent of them have been completed. For several years due to the massive water logging during monsoon season, we have been demanding themto lay underground pipelines in Ward II, said Mohammed Fardeen, resident of SCB.

"We are vexed of complaining to SCB officials to widen roads as we are facing hardship and many development works that include removal of garbage, erratic water supply, but it seems to be no value for our lives, despite our multiple complaints to SCB officials no action has been taken," said Ramesh, local.

When asked the officials of SCB for reason behind not taking up proposed works, on the condition of anonymity, senior officer , said, "The works that were sanctioned last yearwere taken up based upon the budgetary provisions and a few of them which were passed in previous Board meeting were taken up this year based on availability of funds.As the elections are going be held within two months, no new works will be taken up."