In his seminal work “The Wretched of the Earth”, Frantz Fanon recounts an anecdote that highlights the psychological affect of colonialism on the colonised. He describes the emotions of inferiority and self-hatred that usually come up in those that have been subjugated by international powers. This underscores the significance of dismantling colonial legacies to heal the collective psyche of a nation and restore a way of dignity and satisfaction. The Union Government has been dismantling colonial legal guidelines and legacies one after the other. The newest one within the collection is the dismantling of cantonments. By dismantling these cantonments, India not solely reclaims its public areas but additionally alerts its dedication to breaking free from the shackles of its colonial previous.

In the aftermath of their victory over Nawab Siraj ud-Daula on the Battle of Plassey in 1757, the East India Company established cantonments all through India, starting a legacy of colonial affect. The first of those cantonments was based in 1765 at Barrackpore, close to Calcutta.

Christopher Cowell from Trinity College, Dublin, has made vital contributions to understanding the historical past of cantonments in India. Though his doctoral thesis, “The Cantonments of Northern India: Colonialism and the Counter Urban, 1765-1889,” is at the moment beneath embargo, his insightful essay “The Kaccha-Pakka Divide: Material, Space and Architecture in the Military Cantonments of British India (1765-1889)” is very advisable for these focused on exploring this subject additional.

Cantonments have a wealthy and diverse historical past, with their origins rooted in European army practices. The origin of the time period may be traced again to the French phrase “canton,” which refers to a nook or district, as exemplified by the cantons in Switzerland. Initially, they served as non permanent shelters for troops throughout harsh climate or when foraging was restricted. Lancelot Turpin de Crissé’s influential work, ‘An Essay on the Art of War’, highlighted the significance of inner connectedness in cantonments as a result of want for preparedness. This precept formed the event of cantonments throughout British rule in India, resulting in a versatile but constant association of army services. Under Robert Clive’s affect, cantonments advanced into a novel, everlasting city complicated, showcasing the British East India Company’s rising confidence in its means to take care of stability within the Bengal and Bihar areas.

From the very starting, cantonments had a definite system of segregation in place, separating the Europeans and the native sepoys. Clive, in a letter to the Select Committee at Fort William (10 July 1765), emphasised on constructing new cantonments and the significance of strategically positioning forces to “defend the country and preserve the lives of men”. He argued that the buildings for Europeans ought to be robust, sturdy, and handy, contemplating the long-lasting and rising affect of the Company within the area. Clive additionally talked about that the buildings for sepoys may very well be much less strong because of their higher means to deal with the native local weather due to their eating regimen, temperament, and structure. From the start, the ideas of kaccha and pakka buildings have been divided based mostly on race and local weather perceptions.

As cantonments proliferated, they facilitated the military’s means to take care of a level of separation from the native populations of pre-existing Indian city settlements. This was, partly, to allow efficient surveillance, making certain that the Company’s spatial safety measures maintained a “detachable” high quality. This distinct separation additionally granted the military management over the inner improvement inside cantonments. Consequently, the military was in a position to set up legal guidelines governing every cantonment enclave, figuring out the exclusion or differentiation of varied populations and practices inside these territories. This strategy in the end strengthened the colonial technique of sustaining management and dominance over the colonised areas. Cantonments have been ruled by the Indian Cantonment Act. The regulation was notably thorough and included provisions addressing even issues like prostitution inside cantonments. The Cantonment Act (XXII of 1864) differentiated prostitutes based mostly on their affiliation with Europeans, subjecting solely these engaged with Europeans to regulatory measures.

The Cantonments Act was enacted in 1924, and the Military Lands and Cantonments Service emerged as a Central Service within the Nineteen Forties. In an try at disengagement from a colonial previous, the identify of the service was altered in 1985 from Defence Lands and Cantonments Service to the Indian Defence Estates Service. The persistence of cantonments in fashionable India exemplifies a powerful case of path dependency, illustrating how historic selections and occasions proceed to exert a major affect on establishments and infrastructure in former colonies to today. At the time of independence, there have been 56 cantonments, with a further six established post-1947. Ajmer, the newest cantonment, was notified in 1962.

It is essential to look at the extra benefits of ending cantonments, apart from the apparent goal of dismantling the colonial legacy.

(1) Lord Clive pioneered the technique of creating distinct residential areas for the Company’s forces, positioned simply exterior the modern city facilities and alongside vital commerce routes, such because the river Ganga. His intention was to attenuate interactions between the Englishmen and the native inhabitants, making certain that self-discipline inside the forces was maintained and uncompromised. However, over time, on account of fast urbanisation, these cantonments have more and more turn out to be built-in inside metropolis boundaries, with some even located close to metropolis facilities. This has resulted in disorganised development within the adjoining areas as a result of absence of complete improvement methods. Apart from this, the emergence of each formal and casual companies has contributed to unchecked waste manufacturing within the areas surrounding these cantonments. Although cantonments typically possess in depth tracts of largely unoccupied land and keep a low inhabitants density, the encompassing areas are typically densely populated. As civilian areas inside cantonments shall be handed over to the city native our bodies, it’ll assist in the optimum utilisation of land particularly in densely populated cities like Delhi.

(2) Although cantonment boards are impartial, they depend on close by municipal our bodies for important companies like water and sewage. Also, the presence of autonomous administrative frameworks hinders the planning course of, leading to suboptimal distribution and oversight of assets. Merging them with the municipal our bodies will deal with these impediments in service supply to the residents.

(3) According to data from the Defence Estates Office, the Ministry of Defence possesses a powerful 17.99 lakh acres of land, with 1.61 lakh acres located in 62 strategically designated cantonments all through the nation. Enhancing using present lands in city areas is a compelling and sensible strategy to growing their inhabitants capacities. Once the civilian areas inside the cantonments are handed over to city native our bodies, it’ll assist these our bodies increase rather more income. This income won’t simply come out of the property tax.

(4) There have been lot of restrictions for constructing or rebuilding buildings inside the civil areas of cantonments.

234. Sanction for constructing. – No individual shall erect or re-erect a constructing on any land in a cantonment- (a) in an space, apart from the civil space, besides with the earlier sanction of the Board; (b) in a civil space, besides with the earlier sanction of the Chief Executive Officer,  nor in any other case than in accordance with the provisions of this Chapter and of the principles and bye-laws made beneath this Act regarding the erection and re-erection of buildings: Provided that if an erected or re-erected constructing is supposed for public functions, then it shall be made accessible to and barrier free for the individuals with disabilities.

Section 235 of the Act is much more restrictive. Residents are required to present discover if they’re planning to assemble or reconstruct a constructing – in the event that they make vital alterations, enlarge or convert a constructing’s goal, break up or merge dwelling areas, or make adjustments that would negatively affect the constructing’s stability, security, drainage, sanitation, or hygiene. The constructing plans must also compulsorily conform to present legal guidelines and constructing by-laws. Every cantonment has its personal constructing by-laws. We discovered it tough to pay money for these by-laws over the web. However, as one may guess, these by-laws are very restrictive. In a lot of the cantonments, one can construct on the bottom flooring plus one. This can be one of many the reason why unlawful buildings which don’t conform to constructing by-laws have cropped up in a few of the cantonments. It’s no shock that the tax collections of the cantonment boards are additionally very low. Thus, amalgamation with civic our bodies will assist do away with such provisions and permit residents to construct higher buildings that permit optimum utilisation of land.

(5) In the previous fiscal yr, a staggering 74% of cantonments (46 out of 62) confronted funds deficits and obtained grant-in-aid from the Defence Ministry. A sum of Rs 190 crore was allotted to those struggling cantonments, and it was utilised for important improvement works corresponding to repairs, drainage, road lighting, and water provide. This monetary help comes along with the income generated by cantonment boards. Though it’s a tiny portion of the general Defence funds, the query is, ought to the Defence Ministry be chargeable for funding the event of civil areas?

(6) Civilians who have been ruled by cantonment boards can lastly entry and profit from state authorities welfare schemes offered by municipal companies and municipalities. This not solely ensures the equitable distribution of assets and companies but additionally fosters a extra inclusive setting for residents inside the cantonments.

By dismantling these cantonments, India reclaims its public areas, integrates civilian areas with municipal our bodies, and alerts its dedication to progress towards a brighter future. The legacy of cantonments will undoubtedly persist, however their dismantling marks a necessary step towards decolonisation and progress.

Bibek Debroy is the Chairman, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister (EAC-PM) & Aditya Sinha is Additional Private Secretary (Policy & Research), EAC-PM.

Disclaimer: These are the private opinions of the writer.