Reason: A long-drawn tussle with Cantonment Board officials who, they allege, are refusing to issue ‘no objection certificates’ (NoCs) for their establishments, as they are classified as ‘B3’ lands. This means, these land parcels belong to the Ministry of Defence and has been given on lease.
Owners say the stand-off has pushed them into a financial crisis as they are unable to seek any monetary aid, because of a missing NOC. As per the official list — a copy of which is in TOI’s possession — the 16 bazaar areas include R A Pensioner Line, Cavalry Pension Line, 108th Bazar, Commissiary Bazar, Gunrock Bazar, Kadakpura Bazar, Tarbund Bazar, Bearers Line Bazar, Tilheri Bazar, Karkhana Bazar, Picket Bazar, Trimulgherry Bazar, Bolarum Bazar, Ammuguda Bazar, and Kowkoor Bazar.
Most of the occupants of these properties are either kith and kin of retired army personnel or their ancestors. At present, over 50 to 60 per cent of these properties are being used for domestic purposes, while some have been converted into commercial ventures. The extent of land is between 250 square yards and four acres.
While SCB officials, when asked by TOI, denied any knowledge of the issue, owners and sources from sub-registrar’s office admitted to non-issuance of NOCs stalling the registration process. “The sub-registrar department is waiting for clear orders from SCB officials on these 4,900 properties to link them to the Dharani Portal,” a source in sub-registrar office at Bowenpally told TOI.
One of the owners of a property, M Srinivas Rao said: “I need to avail of a financial aid but cannot do so, because of this hurdle. The bank is ready to mortgage my property in Tilheri Bazaar at Mudfort but I am still waiting for NoC from the Cantonment Board. In fact, I have been doing the rounds of the SCB office, to get a NOC, for the past three months,” he said.
Condemning the non-issuance of NOCs, general secretary of the All Cantonments Citizens Welfare Association (ACCIWA) and resident of Bolarum, Jeetender Surana, said that it must be done when section 354 in the Cantonments Act, 2006 clearly states that “Transfer of Property Act, 1882, with respect to transfer of property by registered instrument, shall, on and from the commencement of this Act, extend to every cantonment”.
Meanwhile, president of the cantonment board (PCB), Brigadier Abhijit Chandra when asked about this issue at an event said, “We don’t have any communication related to registration of properties. All this is just a rumour.”