Residents of Secunderabad Cantonment, who have lived on defense land for generations, seek free titles

The Cantonment Vikas Manch, which has sought ownership and official title deeds to the defense lands they occupy, said some of the families served the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB). File | Photo credit: NAGARA GOPAL

For generations, thousands of civilians have resided in pockets inside Secunderabad Cantonment designated as defense land, many without formal title to the properties they occupy. Now, the Cantonment Vikas Manch, a Cantonment-based NGO, has urged the NITI Aayog to recommend that these residents be granted freehold and official title rights to the land they occupy.

In a representation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his capacity as chairman of NITI Aayog, the NGO said civilian families have been living in pockets designated as defense land for decades. It said some of these families also served the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) and Indian Army institutions.

According to the NGO, the problem is not limited to the absence of formal ownership documents. “Residents of these settlements are also deprived of the legal right to repair their homes, so some families live in dilapidated buildings, shacks and houses with weak walls,” said Sanki General Secretary Ravinder Babu.

The NGO therefore sought a permanent solution rather than a change limited to civic administration. It demands that civilian settlements on defense land be legally assigned to their existing residents, along with full ownership and official title deeds. “This would enable residents to build safe and permanent homes and live with dignity and self-respect,” the letter said.

Four point design

Her demand is part of a broader four-point proposal for the restructuring of the civil areas of the cantons. The first is the complete removal of all civilian pockets from the cantonment limits and their amalgamation with adjacent urban local bodies.

The second is the granting of absolute property rights to residents. The organization argued that simply transferring municipal functions to another civic body would be an incomplete cosmetic fix and that residents must be given full ownership rights to the land and properties they occupy.

The third recommendation concerns the defense land that remains after the removal of civilian pockets. The organization has proposed turning them into exclusive military stations, arguing that a clearer separation between civilian settlements and military installations would give the armed forces more privacy and increased security.

The organization also linked the issue of property rights to wider civil deprivation in the camp areas. “Residents face persistent difficulties in accessing basic infrastructure, modern civic amenities and equitable development funds. The military-centric model of governance limits intervention by state municipalities and leaves civilian pockets underdeveloped compared to adjacent urban areas,” they added.

Published – 30 Sep 2026 11:58 IST