Hyderabad: The Secunderabad Cantonment Board has been liberally allowing constructions on open spaces in colonies. Various associations have been getting permission to build community halls in vacant spaces in the midst of their houses. These colonies came up 15 to 20 years ago. At that time, nearly 40 per cent of the land was handed over to the Cantonment Board by way of gift deed. These colonies are now approaching the SCB to concede the land to facilitate construction of community halls. An SCB official said the applications were being considered on two to three factors. “The community hall should not be used for commercial purposes and it should be built from the colony association fund. Development of the land by engaging a third party will not be allowed,” he said.
He said the facility should not be rented out, and it should be only used for colony meetings, programmes, and events. The other consideration is that the associations will not be allowed to on the entire open space. Some portion of the land has to be kept vacant. SCB former vice-president V. Jayaprakash said 10 per cent of land land is left open for parks while 30 per cent goes for roads inside the colony and for facilities like over-head tank, transformer etc. “For the convenience of residents, SCB is going out of the way to give permissions. If one goes by the rules, the SCB can deny permission. However, hundreds of families can benefit if a community hall comes up, saving them money and making it convenient to attend meetings or functions held there,” he said.
Not everyone is happy with move
Lung spaces are at the risk of shrinking with concretisation in various colonies in the Secunderabad Cantonment. Though the Cantonment residents are opposing construction of a new Secretariat at Bison Polo grounds, the colony associations want to build community halls at the cost of open spaces. Senior architect Shankar Narayan, who is a part of the Save Bison Polo campaign, favou-red open spaces and parks instead of community halls.
“Open spaces or parks will help senior citizens to go for a walk and children can play there. It will have everyday benefits unlike community halls which are only used occasionally,” he said. Mr V. Jayaprakash, former SCB vice-president, felt that if the open space is used for constructing community halls, the purpose of free lung spaces gets defeated. “Around 10 per cent (one to two acres) is be left as open space. If some portion of that space is sought for community hall, then permission should be given,” he said.
Colonies that have sought SCB permission
New Vasavinagar, Karkhana
Dhanalakshmi Colony, Mahindra Hills
Durga Vihar Colony, Trimulgherry
How it pans out
10% area would be earmarked for open spaces or for parks
30% goes for common utilities like roads, overhead tanks or sump, transformer etc
Roads should be of 30 feet width
