Defence Ministry Forms Panels to Probe Pune and Khadki Cantonment Merger with Municipalities

Pune: Under the joint secretary (law and works), the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has established two distinct committees to investigate the procedures for removing civil areas from the Pune Cantonment Board (PCB) and Khadki Cantonment Board (KCB) and combining them with the nearby municipal corporations, as per initial media reports.

A senior official said that within a month, the appointed panels will submit their report after concluding the procedures concerning land and immovable assets, cantonment funds, employees, pensioners, civil services, moveable properties and stores, road management and traffic, records, etc.

The official went on to say that the army, the president of the relevant cantonment board, the chief executive officer, and a representative of the state government make up each panel’s seven members.

Carving out civil area pockets that are now prime real estate worth hundreds of crores would be the panels’ most difficult task.

The Khadki Cantonment has roughly 150 acres of civil defence land pockets, compared to the Pune Cantonment’s approximately 250 acres of civil area pockets dispersed over 8 wards.

According to some officials, the recent unstable financial situations of both cantonments are the primary reason for the merger with the municipal corporation.

The government has not given the financial state of the cantonments any consideration in recent years, a senior official added. Many cantonments are unable to offer the civil areas high-quality services. So, the majority of people believe that the merger will affect their financial situation. As a result, they are not providing strong opposition.