HYDERABAD: Principal Secretary of Municipal Administration Department and MCH Special Officer S.P. Singh has offered a glimmer of hope to people living in the Cantonment of improving basic services like drinking water and sewerage.

While the Government is keen on including the Cantonment region in the proposed Greater Hyderabad, the Central Government wants to preserve the special status as there are several defence installations in the area, he said on Monday.

Negotiations

However, he was hopeful of finding a solution by holding negotiations with the authorities concerned so as to ensure that the special status of the Cantonment Board is retained. The Board could have regulation powers to control growth while MCH could take care of providing essential services.

Mr. Singh also expressed confidence that the "complete" Master Plan for Hyderabad would be ready in six months time.

"The Master Plan plays a very important role in ensuring growth of proper infrastructure and laying quality standards. It is ready for non-MCH area," he said. Urban planning for MCH region required a different perspective considering that it was well developed with little vacant land.

"We need to have a policy in place where there is a renewal of growth in former central business areas like Koti or Abids and regulation of new growth areas," he pointed out.

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