6 closed roads under SCB, not Army
Secunderabad residents fighting the Local Military Authority on the closure of roads in the Andhra Sub Area have much to cheer about. An RTI reply from the Defence Estate Office has revealed that six roads out of 12 that have been shut in the Golf Course area belong to the Secunderabad Cantonment Board and not the LMA.
The Defence Estate Office and CEO Secunderabad Cantonment had claimed in a court that these roads belong to the LMA and are A1 defence roads which they are authorised to close down. But its own office — in the RTI reply — has revealed that six roads belong to the Cantonment.
E Rajeshesam, a resident of Alwal who filed the RTI, said, “The CEO, SCB, in paragraphs 6 and 7 of the affidavit filed before the High Court in the 2014 cases, stated that all roads are classified as A1 defence land and are under the management and control of the LMA. Out of the eight roads closed in the Golf Course area, six are shown to be Cantonment Fund Roads (GLR Survey no 779) on Class C land under the management of the Cantonment Board.
Secunderabad residents fighting the Local Military Authority on the closure of roads in the Andhra Sub Area have much to cheer about.
An RTI reply from the Defence Estate Office has revealed that six roads out of 12 that have been shut in the Golf Course area belong to the Secunderabad Cantonment Board and not the LMA.
“The Hyderabad High Court, heard affidavits filed by these senior officers and the road closure followed. Six roads closed by LMA 24x7 are now conclusively shown to be not military roads on A1 land, but Cantonment Fund Roads.”
Chandra Shekar of OSCAR (Open Secunderabad Cantonment All Roads), added, “Elected members of the SCB Board have been prevented from raising the matter of reopening these closed roads, under Section 258 of the Cantonments Act, 2006 in several board meetings. Over a dozen roads have been already closed by LMA, including several that are now demonstrated to be Cantonment Fund Roads on Class C land and
The Local Military Authority has no jurisdiction on Cantonment Fund Roads, activists say. They claim a dozen roads have been closed. Malla Reddy, MP, who has taken up the matter with MoD, was unavailable for comment
the Cantonment Board is the holder of Occupancy Rights. The LMA has no jurisdiction on Cantonment Fund Roads.”
When contacted, a source in the Local Military Authority, said, “There is no communication between the LMA and the Defence Estate Office (DEO). We don’t know what information has been issued from the DEO office.”
Malla Reddy, MP, who has taken up the matter with the Ministry of Defence, was unavailable for comment. Meanwhile, Ward 5 member J. Rama Krishna said the six roads falling under the Cantonment will be reopened.
The CEO SCB S. V. R. Chandra Sekhar was unavailable for the comment.