Ministry of defence orders reopening of 4 Secunderabad Cantonment roads, residents cheer

HYDERABAD: In a move that is likely to bring much respite to 3.5 lakh commuters, the ministry of defence (MoD) on Thursday issued orders to reopen four of the six arterial roads in Secunderabad Cantonment that have remained inaccessible to civilians for years. The roads that will be reopened in the next few days are: Richardson Road, Protnee Road, Byam Road and Ammuguda Road. The Albion Road and Empress Road will continue to have curbs.
These six stretches are among the 21 public roads that have been closed within the Cantonment causing immense hardship to lakhs of commuters shuttling between the twin cities every day. They have been fighting to have them reopened for over six years.

TOI too rallied around them and published a series of stories highlighting their grievances.
The MoD's decision comes as a small victory for the Cantonment residents.
TOI too rallied around them and published a series of stories highlighting their grievances. The MoD's decision comes as a small victory for the Cantonment residents.
Sharing Thursday's development exclusively with TOI, senior officials of the Secunderabad Cantonment Board said: "The MoD has communicated its acceptance to open these roads to the Local Military Authority (LMA) and SCB today (Thursday). It should be done in the next one or two days." Officials added: "Special defence committee that was constituted to look into road closure issue has agreed to reopen two Cantonment roads (Class-C) and another two roads on Army (A-1 Defence) land for civilians".
In October 2022, SCB issued a public notice announcing it would permanently shut down six roads citing security issues. It even pulled out a court order from 2014 to justify the move, stating the order allowed LMA to shut five roads and impose night restrictions on two. Notice that called for objections in 21 days was met with strong opposition from RWAs. "We are thrilled with MoD's acceptance to reopen public roads in SCB. For years, we have been enduring mental and physical agony," said C S Chandra Shekar, secretary of Federation of Northern-Eastern Colonies of Secunderabad.