Cantonment Board to revisit Smart Road, Albert Ekka Road and Queen Garden Road issue at next meeting
No final decision was taken on the proposed transfer of three roads within the Belagavi Cantonment limits during the Cantonment Board’s monthly meeting held on Friday, November 6. The matter is expected to be taken up again at the next meeting.
MES official Sachin Nimbalkar clarified that there was a misunderstanding among citizens regarding the proposed transfer, stating that there had never been any announcement that the roads would be closed. The three roads under discussion are Smart Road, Albert Ekka Road and Queens Garden Road. Around 14,000 objections have reportedly been received in connection with the issue. Nimbalkar also informed the meeting that the barriers installed earlier had been broken.
The meeting was chaired by Cantonment Board President Brigadier Girish Upadhyay and attended by CEO Sudam Manchalwar, board member Sudhir Tupekar and other officials.
Flower market stalls: Previous contract to be cancelled
The Board also discussed the stalls constructed near the fort area for a proposed flower market. The President directed officials to cancel the earlier contract following legal consultation. It was decided that no permissions would be granted at present and that further action would be taken only after obtaining the necessary clearances from higher authorities and the Archaeological Department.
The Board will also hold discussions with the business owners who had constructed stalls at the site.
₹8.32 crore proposed for hockey ground at Dhobi Ghat
The hockey ground at Dhobi Ghat is proposed to be developed under the Khelo India scheme. The estimated expenditure is ₹8.32 crore for the hockey ground and ₹1.35 crore for a shooting range.
A Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been prepared for the project. The President directed officials to hold discussions with the Belagavi Hockey Association before proceeding further.
Union Gymkhana land proposed for sports complex
The Board has decided to initiate the process of reclassifying the 6.50-acre land occupied by Union Gymkhana from B-3 category to C category, with a proposal to develop a sports complex and sports training centre for school students.
The land, which had earlier been leased to Union Gymkhana, has since been taken back by the Board. The reclassification proposal will be forwarded to the Defence Estates Officer (DEO), Bengaluru, for approval. It will subsequently require clearances from the Directorate General of Defence Estates (DGDE) and the Ministry of Defence.
1,090 unauthorised constructions to be examined
The issue of unauthorised constructions within Cantonment limits also came up for discussion. Officials informed the meeting that there are around 1,090 such constructions.
Engineer Satish Mannukar explained that the existing construction norms provide for an FSI (Floor Space Index) of 1. He suggested that allowing an FSI of 2 could help address several of the issues relating to existing constructions.
However, the President directed officials to conduct a detailed examination of all 1,090 structures before arriving at any final decision.
₹21 lakh survey for underground drainage
The Board approved a survey for laying an Underground Drainage (UGD) network across the Cantonment area. A DPR will be prepared at an estimated cost of ₹21 lakh and submitted to the Ministry of Defence for further approval.
The President instructed officials to complete the survey at the earliest.
In another decision, the Board resolved to issue a charge sheet to a high school teacher for alleged negligence in the discharge of duties.