AOC road closure: Resident bodies seek Guv’s intervention

Hyderabad: The United Federation of Resident Welfare Associations (UFERWAS) met Governor E S L Narasimhan at Raj Bhavan on the issue of the proposed closure of Army roads in AOC in Secunderabad for civilian vehicles from January 1, 2015. The representatives of UFERWAS appraised the Governor on the impact to the civilians in the eventuality of the roads being closed.

The closing down of the important roads would cause financial burden and lead to traffic jams. In February this year, the Army imposed restrictions and stopped people from traversing through the Defence areas in Secunderabad. This is the second time that the Army is proposing to impose restrictions.

Governor assured the team that he would talk to the GHMC Commissioner and try to make a call to Ministry of Defence on this issue. The Army said it had been 10 months and the civic body did not provide alternate roads. In a recent order of Justice P Naveen Rao of Hyderabad High Court on allowing the Army to close down roads and directing civic authorities, including the GHMC to make full-fledged arrangements expeditiously for alternative road network.

With the restriction, residents of areas like Gautham Nagar, Safilguda, Neredmet and Anandbagh would be cut off from Secunderabad. Likewise, inhabitants of RK Puram, Sainikpuri, Defence Colony, AS Rao Nagar and beyond cannot reach Secunderabad via Military Hospital and AOC Centre.

The Resident Welfare associations want the GHMC to initiate a dialogue with the Army. In October, a team from the GHMC visited the Army areas and informed that it would take two years to develop alternate roads if the Army allocated land.