The document discusses the Secundarabad Cantonment area as a case study. It provides background on cantonment areas in India, established during British rule for military purposes. Secundarabad Cantonment was set up in 1798 through an alliance between the Nizam of Hyderabad and British East India Company. The document outlines the land use, housing types, facilities and services, and security features of cantonment areas, using Secundarabad as an example. It also discusses the role of army settlements in society and their importance to planning.

1. THE CANTONMENT AREA: SETTLEMENT AND ITS SOCIOLOGY
CASE STUDY OF SECUNDARABAD CANTONMENT
Anusha fatima , 2 nd year , Department of Planning and Architecture
Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology , bhopal
ABSTRACT
Since time immemorial, cantonments have been considered as a very sensitive zone and so
carrying out a research in these areas is a tedious task . This paper attempts to study the various
perspective of a cantonment area in terms of types, services and security. The secundarabad
cantonment has been taken as a case study .The paper concludes with the focus on army
settlement , their role in the society and in the planning field.
KEYWORDS
Sociology , cantonments, security
INTRODUCTION
Cantonments refer to military residential areas, which are primarily established for the Defense
and Army personnel, although kept in separate boundaries; they are intermixed with civil
population areas, offering peaceful and insulated living in urban areas for the military
personnel. The word cantonment derives from
the French word canton meaning corner or district and describes a place during a military
campaign, such as winter quarters, where units of an army may be encamped for longer
periods than they are during advances and retreats.
Cantonment area is an important criterion in categorisation of rural and urban area .India has
about 63 listed cantonments.There are about 107 cantonments housing defense personnel
spread over the country .Also another 15 locations which were cantonments earlier are now
absorbed by civil corporations for public living, such as Bangalore, Baroda, Hisar, Tiruchirappalli
etc. The majority of the Cantonments in India are situated in Northern, North Western and
North Eastern parts of India, apart from Delhi, the National capital, these cantonments exist
in 16 other States. The first three cantonments were constituted in the in the 1811 century,
Barrack pore in Bengal, Dana pore in Bihar in 1765 and St.Thomas mount in Madras in 1774.
ARMY PERSONNELS IN PARADE GROUND CANTONMENT BOARD OFFICE, SECUNDARABAD

2. CATEGORISATION OF CANTONMENT AREA
There are three types of Cantonments, namely, Class-I,Class-IIandClass-IIIbased on the strength
of the civil population, as under:
Class-I Cantonments More than 10,000 (With 07 Wards)
Class-II Cantonments More than 2,500 but less than 10,000 (With 3 to 5 Wards)
Class-III Cantonments Less than 2,500 (With only 1 Wards)
HISTORY - CANTONMENT AREA
The Cantonments in India were established during British raj, right at the time East India
Company, started installing its military establishments in 19th century, through a legislation as
early as 1824AD. Cantonments were established after the Plassey War, sequel to which there
was Sepoy’s mutiny in 1857AD, whereas presently the Cantonment Boards managing each
of the cantonments are functioning as per the Cantonment Act of 2006.
The paramount consideration in setting up all these cantonments:
The historical reasons necessitating the formation of individual cantonments are different for
different cantonments depending upon the prevailing political and military realities of the
times. The need for military camps in various strategic locations of India to establish, maintain
and consolidate the rule of a foreign power. The sudden spread of diseases like, diarrhea,
malaria, and venereal diseases among the troops necessitated the cantoning (insulation) of
these military camps from the local population. Moreover , The records of 19 th century British
India reveal that health and hygiene of the troops was one of the major areas of concern which
the rulers of the day had to contend with. This consideration coupled with the desire of an alien
ruling elite to distance itself from the native population led to the development of an insulated
type of character in all these cantonments which has continued till date.
Secundrabad cantonment was established to assist the Nizam of Hyderabad, militarily against
his local adversaries, whereas Lucknow Cantonment was established to maintain pressure on the
Nawab of Oudh and to finally capture that state. Similarly the need for cooler climate for the
British troops and strategic importance of Doab dictated the setting up of hill cantonments and
cantonments in modern day Uttar Pradesh respectively.While most of the cantonments came to
be established in early part of 19 th century, but the characteristic civil and military
administration took around seventy five years to come into the shape which is still in existence
in the sixty two cantonments of the country.

3. CASE STUDY- SECUNDARABAD CANTONMENT
INTRODUCTION
Hyderabad and Secunderabad form one of the few twin cities of the world. Secunderabad is
located on the northern side of the Hyderabad urban agglomeration. The cities have merged
through an imaginary line drawn across the Tank Bund, which is still used to demarcate the
cities. The Secunderabad Cantonment comprises a number of defense establishments. In 1798
through an alliance signed between Hyderabad's Nizam Sikander Jah and the British East India
Company, an area north of Hussain Sagar Lake was made into a cantonment named
Secunderabad after Nizam Sikander Jah. Presently, Secunderabad Cantonment area falls under
the Secunderabad Cantonment Board, which is a local body falling under the administrative
control of Ministry of Defence, Government of India. Primarily, the Secunderabad Cantonment
Board is responsible for carrying out the civic amenities to the residents of the Cantonment
area. The area of Secunderabad Cantonment is about 40.17 sq. km and the civil population is
2,06,102 as per the 2001 census.

4. LAND USE PROFILE
The total land under the Secunderabad Cantonment is about 40.17 sq km. Cantonment land
area has been classified by the Board into eight major categories.
A1 LAND -Under Active occupation of Army
A2 Land Reserved for the future occupation of Army (Vacant)
B1 Land Placed under mangement of Central Govt. (Hyderabad Airport
Development Authority Land included)
B2 Private Land
B3 Land belongs to Ministry of Defence but given on lease (Outside civil area)
B4 Land Defence Land (Vacant)
C Land Cantonment Board Land for its use
Civil Area Land belongs to Ministry of Defence but given on lease

5. SOURCE : CDP SECUNDARABAD
HOUSING TYPES
Cantonment Board accommodates nearly 12500 housing units
HOUSING CHARACTERISTICS
The houses are mostly individual house with multi family units. The outer periphery of these
areas generally inhabits slum and scattered re-settlement with few un-authorised colonies.the
main cantonment area follow a row housing pattern which are almost mostly identical.The
Regular Army provides subsidised accommodation for its servicemen and women.
SINGLE LIVING ACCOMMODATION
The Army provides Single Living Accommodation to single servicemen and women. These type
of housing are provided to those with a family who choose not to have their family with them at
their posting
SERVICE FAMILIES ACCOMODATION
The Army provides Service Families' Accommodation for servicemen and women who are
married or in civil partnerships. These accommodation are also provided to widowed, divorced
or separated with dependant children.
58.06
0.04
4.2
27.48
4.9
0.91 2.03
PERCENTAGEOF LAND
A1 LAND A2 LAND B1 LAND B2 LAND
B3 LAND B4 LAND C LAND CIVIL AREA

6. Housing – service family single servicemen lower
rank / servants quarters
FEATURES
The accommodation is usually close to, or within 10 miles of, their duty station. Most are fully
furnished, though tenants may use their own furniture if they wish. Existing householders may
decide to continue living in their own home.
Moving to a new posting
When a serviceman or woman is assigned to a new posting, the Army meets the costs of
moving personal possessions, within certain limits. These limits are available to service
personnel in ArmyNET.
HIEARCHY OF OPEN SPACES
Hierarchy – open space in a cantonment
SPORTS GROUND – POLO BATTALION GROUND
TOTLOTS-space usedfor the
recreational purposes of
small children.
STADIUM- 12000 seats
capacity
athletic track, sports ground
BATTALION FIELD- parctise
use / operationof weapons
PARADE GROUND
Parade Grounds is a large
concrete open area ,army
personnels celebrate .
PARKS-a large public garden
or area of landusedfor
recreation.

7. PARADE GROUND TOTLOTS
GENERAL FEATURES -CANTONMENT AREA
Usually located at the Periphery / outskirt of the city. They are Walled from all sides with a very
large open spaces- hierarchy. The entry of outsiders are prohibited due to security reasons. An
individual has to undergo very strict security check up to enter these areas. The roads are
maintained by the Cantonment board. The houses there are usually row housing with similar
facilities to similar rank officers in almost all cantonments across the country.
FACILITIES AND SERVICES
The army personnals and Officers enjoy these medical facilities for free of cost.Also family of
commissioned officer gets medical benefits.After retiring also officers and their families get free
medical services for a nominal one time payment.it also provide canteen facility given by the
government. officers may buy grocery items, beauty products, electrical items, clothing and
many more items in discounted price.With canteen facility quality of the items is also assured.
Officers of Indian armed forces gets canteen facilities irrespective of short service
commissioning or permanent commissioning. They also get free ration on daily basis. Mess
facilityis open for unmarried commissioned officers. There is abundant of facilities of sports
and games to serving officers and their families available in the vicinity of their residence.
Officers get two years paid leave to pursue higher education which means all officers may avail
two years to study and that too they will be paid full salary.
CANTEEN FACILITY MESS FOR ARMY PERSONNELS

8. CANTEEN SMART CARD- FOR ARMY PRSONNELS
SECURITY- cantonment
The entry to these areas are through passes only . A tight Inspection of goods, octroi, terminal
tax and toll occurs at the entrance. Every person bringing or receiving any goods, vehicles or
animals within the limits of any cantonment .The army has thePower to seize the goods. Also
Camera or other items prohibited within the cantt. Area ( for outsiders)
RESTRICTED ENTRY AT ARMYHEADQUARTERS AT SECUNDARABAD
ARMY SETTLEMENT AND THEIR ROLE IN THE SOCIETY
The army perosnnels are solely responsible for national defence. They safeguard the
sovereignty, territorial integrity and the unity of the nation and protect the country from
terrorist attacks/ hijacking, floods, earthquakes and tsunamis ,massive fires and industrial
disasters. They protect us from any insurgencies Internal disturbances/riots within the country.
They are responsible for providing relief on the occurrence of local epidemics, floods, famines
or other natural calamities by the establishment or maintenance of relief work or otherwise.
Lastly , the preservation, improvement and upgradation of environment is also their prime
motive.

9. CONCLUSION- ARMY, SOCIOLOGY AND PLANNING
A great French sociologist “ Durkhein ” defines sociology as the study of social institutions
like schools, church, etc. sociology deals with how the people interact with each other and
in turn how they respond to the society as a whole.
In planning context, Albert J. Reiss has defined, “sociology is the study of social aggregates
and groups in their institutional organization, of institutions and their organization, and of
the causes and consequences of changes in institutions and social organization. , kindness
and thinking for the well being of each and every individual . Nevertheless, planning deals
with making of policies and laws for the well being of the people. Thus enhancing
monastery settlements and giving it an important place in a society will definitely help in a
peaceful and prosperous growth of society as a whole encompassing every individual be it
rich, poor , black or white. The aimof people in a society should not be just their
welfare,they should not be selfish to their needs but taking care of each and every
individual of the society- should be their sole motive.In India, a soldier is respected and
rank high in people’s esteem. Officers and soldiers were the state in the past. Due to
emancipation of women in the society at large one can witness entry of lady officers in the
armed forces. Traditionally, sociology saw the binary division of men and women into
distinct social roles but never questioned the ways that patriarchy and heterosexuality
exerted social control.
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