Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) residents can look forward to better civic amenities this year as board members on Tuesday enhanced the budget for maintenance works from Rs.14 crore to Rs.18 crore.
During the board meeting, it was decided to spend Rs. 5 crore on improving water supply, Rs. 4 crore on drains, Rs. 7 crore on road repairs and Rs. 2 crore on buildings and new parks.
Proposal rejected
Meanwhile, the proposal to obtain 10 per cent mortgage deed in favour of the Cantonment for building plan approval was rejected by elected board members. The move would have helped in curbing deviations from the sanctioned plan. Already, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) had successfully implemented the plan, explained SCB Chief Executive Officer S. Balakrishna.
On the contrary, elected members said it would in turn boost deviations from the sanctioned plan. After constructing extra floors against the sanctioned plan, builders would not mind losing 10 per cent mortgage, they argued.
With regard to alleged violations by Stanpower, a private company that installed nine traffic signals in SCB, board members decided to take over four advertisement screens on the hoardings that were put up without permission. The SCB had cancelled the company’s contract as it failed to pay advertisement tax.
Violation of rules
V. Jayaprakash, an elected board member, informed that the company was violating rules by changing advertisements frequently. However, the Stanpower management claimed that it had obtained an injunction order and was permitted to change advertisements.
