Residents upset as civilian excision from cantonments sees no progress
Five months after the Ministry of Defence (MoD) directed the Cantonment Executive Officers (CEOs) of Kasauli, Dagshai, and Subathu to coordinate with the state government and report on the status of civilian areas, no progress has been made in this regard.
The MoD had agreed to transfer, free of cost, proprietary rights over assets meant for civic amenities in cantonments where excision exercises were underway. Residents of Kasauli, Dagshai and Subathu have eagerly awaited updates since the MoD issued instructions on June 26.
In July, the MoD formed a seven-member committee, led by a Joint Secretary, to establish the modalities for excising civilian areas in six cantonment towns in Himachal Pradesh. As per the directive, the committee was to submit its report within a week, covering issues like land and asset transfers, cantonment employees, pensions, cantonment funds, civic services, movable properties, records and other logistical elements.
Initially, the MoD was to lease properties to the state while retaining ownership rights. However, the new directive proposed full transfer of rights to the state government. Under these guidelines, civilian areas, once excised from cantonments, would be integrated with local municipalities, allowing residents to benefit from state schemes and undertake repairs without the previously rigorous approval process. Additionally, the state government would be able to impose taxes in these areas, aligning them with municipal laws.
Additional Deputy Commissioner of Solan, Ajay Yadav, confirmed that since June, no updates had been received from officials of Kasauli, Dagshai, and Subathu. “No report has been received from the officials of three cantonment towns,” Yadav said, confirming that the excising exercise remains stalled despite earlier preparations to exclude certain civilian areas from these cantonments.
An official from the Kasauli Cantonment Board echoed this, acknowledging the lack of progress since June. Residents have been left “high and dry,” wondering if the MoD is reconsidering the issue, which has left the future of civilian areas in limbo.
Completion of the exercise would allow civilian populations to enjoy state government schemes and undertake need-based repairs on their properties without a cumbersome approval process. The state, in turn, would gain new taxable areas, governed by municipal laws.
Civilian areas are currently being excised from Himachal’s six cantonment towns —Kasauli, Dagshai, Subathu, Bakloh, Jutogh, and Dalhousie — as part of a national initiative. The process was completed in Khas Yol and Kangra last year.
