Skyways likely to dent cantonment revenues

Skyways likely to dent cantonment revenues
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Officials at the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) have gone into overdrive tabulating the loss that the civic body would incur following the State government’s plan for two skyways in the Cantonment. An elevated skyway from Jubilee bus station to Air Force station at Hakimpet and another skyway from Paradise to Bowenpally is planned as part of the Strategic Road Development Plan (SRDP).

Secunderabad: Officials at the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) have gone into overdrive tabulating the loss that the civic body would incur following the State government’s plan for two skyways in the Cantonment. An elevated skyway from Jubilee bus station to Air Force station at Hakimpet and another skyway from Paradise to Bowenpally is planned as part of the Strategic Road Development Plan (SRDP).

Several private as well as Cantonment Board properties would be acquired by the government in the process. Speaking to The Hans India, SCB, CEO S V R Chandra Sekhar said, “The SCB will lose anywhere between Rs 35 to Rs 50 crore per annum as 90 per cent of the revenue is accrued from the commercial properties on the Kharkhana road to Bolarum road stretch.” The SCB gets its maximum share of revenue through property tax, trade licence, rooftop billboards and hoardings on land and service charge. According to estimates, the Roads and Buildings Department would require about 132 acres.

The Roads and Buildings authorities completed demarcation process recently and hundreds of properties on either side of the road would be affected. The road is to be widened to 200 feet (00 feet on both sides). Presently, the width of the roads between Jubilee Bust Station and Air Force Station at Hakimpet is 40-60 feet. Several properties under the SCB, including Balamrai pump house, MES pump house, part of Bolarum Park and internal roads on either side of the road, would be affected. A sizable number of old grand bungalows too would be pulled down, said officials.

More than 500 traders would be affected due to the road widening. Land of Defence, Cantonment land falling under ‘C’ class, government and private properties would be needed to acquire.

Officials at the SCB said that apart from loss of revenue, several public purpose utilities come under the land acquisition. It includes the pump house. Unless an alternate plan is not put in place, SCB would not be able to hand over the pump house.

Several colonies abutting the Karkhana Road on either side would be affected. In a few areas, part of buildings and open spaces would be affected and in certain cases, whole buildings would be pulled down. Owners of commercial buildings said that it would deprive hundreds of workers of their livelihood. There are banks, shopping malls, eateries, hospitals and retail stores that employ hundreds of workers.

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