Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had a preliminary round of talks with the CMO officials and also an MP on the issue of requesting the defence ministry to shift military installations in Secunderabad Cantonment and other parts of Hyderabad to neighbouring Ranga Reddy district.
“An idea has been mooted. Now it is all up to the defence ministry,” a senior official said. Secunderabad Cantonment, the biggest cantonment in the country dating back to 1798, is spread over 40.17 square km. From a 1.35 lakh population in 1991, it has tripled over the years.
Haphazard growth of residential areas pose a security threat to defence establishments. Besides there are regular skirmishes between defence personnel and locals over use of roads passing through the defence area.
Of the 40.17 square km area, the Army occupies 58.06 per cent, 0.04 per cent is reserved for future use by the Army.
