Defence Ministry orders immediate reopening of five of six closed roads in Secunderabad Cantonment

“At a recent meeting of the committee, the opinions of all stakeholders were taken. The SCB strongly opposed the closure of these five roads and recommended their opening. The district administration too had requested that all roads should be opened as it is causing inconvenience to the public,” the official added.

A special committee was set up by the Ministry to discuss 39 similar road closures in all cantonments across the country based on threat perception. The five roads in Secunderabad Cantonment are among 12 such roads across the country ordered to be opened immediately. For seven other roads, including in the cantonments of Jalandhar, Ranikhet, and Mathura, the Ministry proposed special measures to maintain status quo and directed the LMA to ensure them in 15 days.

These roads in Secunderabad Cantonment are — Ammuguda road (500 metres), Byam road (500 m), Albain road (700 m), Empress road (900 m), Protenee road (500 m) and Richardson road (300 m). These stretches have remained closed for years over security concerns. Now, with the latest MoD order, Albain road, Ammuguda road, Byam road, Protenee road and Richardson road will be opened. However, no decision has been taken regarding Empress road.

Welcoming the government’s decision, Jeetendra Surana, secretary of the Secunderabad Cantonment Citizen’s Welfare Association (SCCiWA) said all roads of the cantonment were open for 150 years till they were suddenly closed in 2014. And they continued to remain illegally closed despite the decision of the MoD in 2018 to reopen all closed roads in all cantonments.

While these six roads remained closed, the SCB issued a newspaper notice in October 2022 regarding the closure of roads and invited objections and suggestions within 21 days. Activists and civilian groups called this an attempt to pretend that the roads were still open to the public and that due procedure was now being followed to close them.

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All the six roads mentioned in this Notice issued by Secbad Cantt Board. @SECBAD_CANTT today, are already closed!

They have been closed for several years!!

Then why this Notice for closing them?

ANSWER:
IT IS A BLATANT ATTEMPT TO WHITEWASH PAST ILLEGALITIES! pic.twitter.com/rcRNMiPYNp

— Greensainikpuri (@greensainikpuri) October 19, 2022

Explaining why it was illegal for the LMA to close roads, Surana said that section 258 of the Cantonments Act 2006 states that only the Cantonment Board, and not the LMA, may close a road. Even the Board has to take public feedback into account before deciding to close such public lifelines.

“The order has been issued to the principal director of Defence Estates and says CEOs of the cantonment boards have to comply. But LMA is not addressed in the communication. The SCB has always pushed the ball in LMA’s court. Let’s hope the LMA finally follows the latest MoD orders and reopens these five roads immediately,” Surana said.

The LMA had even constructed a wall across Richardson road connecting Lakdawala junction to the golf course and across Ammuguda road connecting Ammuguda Junction and Batticaloa canteen to prevent public thoroughfare.

The opening of these roads along with Albain road, Byam road connecting Eagle Chowk to the golf course and Protenee road connecting Gen Krishna Rao marg and Cantonment garden is likely to ease traffic congestion and allow residents of colonies of north-east Secunderabad easy access to the city.