An exercise to equip the more than two centuries-old area of Secunderabad Cantonment with its maiden master plan has been initiated by the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA).
The process of selecting consultants to prepare the master plan and land use plan for orderly development of the area has already commenced.
The Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) that is spread over 40.17 square km and has a civil population of nearly 2.18 lakh as per the 2011 census had recently sought a comprehensive master plan.
The cantonment was set up to the north of Hussainsagar lake through an alliance signed in the year 1798 between the British East India Company and Nizam Sikander Jah but it did not have a single master plan till date. Falling under category 1, Secunderabad Cantonment is the most populated of the country’s 62 cantonments.
The request for proposal document prepared by the HMDA, inviting consultants, noted that the level of services and infrastructure in Secunderabad Cantonment was poor when compared to the adjoining municipal areas and that the absence of a comprehensive development plan had further exacerbated the situation.
For the master plan and land use plans, the HMDA will take up broad mapping of demographic, socio-economic characteristics, physical and social infrastructure facilities, and amenities, apart from the environmental aspects of the cantonment area.
Infrastructure assessment
The existing and proposed infrastructure facilities such as health, education and amenities, banks, post offices, revenue registration, railway and bus reservation centres will be reviewed and assessed.
In consultation with the cantonment authorities, demarcation of the military area, central government land, civil areas and other designated areas would be done here.
Through reconnaissance surveys, a base map with details of road network, water supply, sewerage and drainage networks, electrical transmission lines, existing and proposed land use happened to be some other features.
The HMDA officials said that apart from coming out with a comprehensive plan for the cantonment area, the exercise would also chalk out an investment plan for the period between 2014 and 2021, and 2021 and 2031.
