Army lifts night restrictions on civilian roads in Secunderabad cantonment area

SECUNDERABAD: In a move that brought relief to lakhs of commuters, the local military authority (LMA) lifted night restrictions on civilian roads in Secunderabad Cantonment after a period of three days. The signboards of ‘high security alert’ which were put up by army authorities at Allahabad Gate and Wellington Road have also been removed.
Restrictions on movements were imposed by the army between 10 pm and 7 am at Allahabad Gate and Wellington Road.The restrictions had caused inconvenience to scores of commuters as the roads lead to heavily populated and busy areas such as Safilguda, Malkajgiri, Neredemet, Yapral and Trimulgherry and other adjoining zones through AOC Circle. Over one lakh residents belonging to these areas depended on the stretches placed under restrictions to reach their destinations on a daily basis.
Meanwhile, members of the residential welfare association (RWA) have appealed to the defence authorities that the commuters be intimated about the imposition of restrictions. Members of RWA have requested that the commuters be alerted two days ahead of the implementation of restrictions on the civilian roads.
“We are not opposing the army’s decision on closure of roads. However, our request is that they follow the provision of Section 258 of Cantonment Act-2006, before they block the roads. In fact, the closed roads are meant for public thoroughfares. The ministry of defence (MoD) had also issued specific orders of a ‘standard operating procedure’ (SoP) for closure of the civilian roads that has to be followed,” secretary, North-Eastern Colonies of Secunderabad (FNECS), C S Chandrasekhar told TOI.
A resident of Sainikpuri, Naniwadekar Medha said, “At present, the restrictions are being removed even in sensitive places like Kashmir, but why is the LMA imposing restrictions in a peaceful area like Secunderabad Cantonment. We had already been experiencing a tough time for almost two years.”
A social activist, S Chandrasekhar said, “It was clearly specified in the orders issued by the MoD that the Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) has to pass a resolution when LMA proposes the closure of civilian roads in the Cantonment. But, the Cantonment Board is totally ignoring the MoD orders.”