Merger of Pune and Khadki Cantonment Boards Unlikely in Immediate Future

The merger of the Pune and Khadki Cantonment Boards with local municipalities is not expected to happen anytime soon due to various challenges. The Ministry of Defense has formed a committee to address the merger of Cantonment Boards across the country, but no decisions have been made regarding the larger boards in terms of their geographical area. As a result, the merger of Pune Cantonment and Khadki Cantonment Boards into the Municipalities is currently off the table.

However, officials and employees of the Cantonment Board suggest that the Dehuroad Cantonment Board should be merged with the nearest municipal corporation as part of the first phase. The committee appointed by the Central Government, which includes a representative from the state government, is currently discussing the merger of certain Cantonment Boards with local self-government bodies.

The merger of Cantonment Boards will be carried out in a phased manner, starting with the recommendation of the committee and focusing on boards with smaller areas. Among the total 62 Cantonment Boards in the country, 23 have smaller areas compared to the others. These boards primarily consist of privately-owned seats and have fewer army establishments, making them suitable for merger with local self-government bodies like municipalities.

However, the committee has not yet approached the Pune Cantonment and Khadki Cantonment Boards regarding their merger. These two boards, along with other major Cantonment Boards such as Lucknow, Delhi, Jabalpur, Mahu, Jalandhar, and Chennai, are not currently under consideration for merging with Municipal Corporations.

The Pune and Khadki Cantonment Boards possess a significant number of military installations, as well as considerable land and roads. The merger of these two boards could potentially impact the social rights of residents. Consequently, officials and employees assert that the merger of Pune and Khadki Cantonment Boards is currently not feasible.

In summary, the merger of Pune and Khadki Cantonment Boards with local municipalities is facing obstacles and is unlikely to occur in the immediate future. The committee appointed by the Central Government is focusing on smaller boards for the initial phase of mergers, while the larger boards, including Pune and Khadki, have not been approached for the merger process.