Defence ministry okays AOC roads land transfer

Hyderabad: The Ministry of Defence has agreed to transfer land required to develop alternate roads in the Secunderabad cantonment. The decision was taken after several representations by the members from the civil society and MPs and MLAs from Telangana. The civilians have been opposing the road blockade since 2013.

B T Srinivasan, general secretary, United Federation of Resident Welfare Association, said that now the ball is in the GHMC’s court and the corporation needs to take it up and develop alternate roads. Civil society members, representatives of AOC, members of Secunderabad Cantonment Board and other officials met the Defence Minister at his office in South Block last week.

Senior officials from AOC did meet GHMC top brass last year but there has been no progress on the front. Civilian vehicles are not allowed between 10 pm to 7:15 am. Locals hit hard: Civilians in the Bolarum, Yapral, Balaji Nagar and Jai Jawahar Nagar areas had access to the nearest bus stop at Lakdawala junction.

All the city buses from Hakimpet depot to Secunderabad, Charminar, Sanatnagar, Madhapur and other areas halt at Lakdawala. Residents of these areas are facing hardships ever since this junction is closed from them. Similarly, with the closure of roads near the golf course, people heading to Valerian Grammar School, St Ann’s School Bolarum, Loyola Academy, Alwal municipal office, Alwal rythu bazar and to offices in Genome Valley and other destinations on the Shamirpet and Medchal highways are affected as the distance has become longer by several kilometres.

After 10 pm, locals travelling towards Sainikpuri, Ramakrishnapuram, Safilguda, Neredmet and beyond have to take a detour towards Kharkhana or Lalaguda making the distance longer.