A day after order, roads still stay closed in SCB
The residents wanted a timeframe for implementing the order. However, no date was given.
The euphoria over SCB roads opening has ebbed as the roads remain closed.
Following the orders of the Union defence ministry to open all roads that were closed by the Local Military Authority (LMA) in cantonments, residents who are apprehensive that the orders will not be implementeded demanded that the Secunderabad Cantonment Board open all the 21 closed roads took up the issue on Monday.
SCB vice-president J. Rama Krishna held a public meeting at the SCB office, where a heated argument ensued with the residents affected by the closure of road. The residents wanted a time-frame for implementing the order.
Residents of the northeastern colonies demanded that the authorities immediately reopen roads including those in Yapral and Bolarum.
The SCB did not disclose any date, but said the roads would be opened soon.
The euphoria over SCB roads opening has ebbed as the roads remain closed.
“A similar development happened in January 2015, when the defence ministry passed orders to open all closed roads. That letter was not tabled in the Secunderabad Cantonment Board meeting by the ward members, despite the residents demanding that it be implemented,” said Mr C.S. Chandrashekar, secretary to the Northeastern Colonies Association.
He said it was implemented in other cantonments and roads were opened in Allahabad and Mathura but not in Secunderabad.
The present status is that out of the 25 closed roads, the 10 pm to 7 am restrictions were relaxed on four roads — Gough Road, Wellington Road, Ordinance Road, Entrenchment Road — following a verbal order by defence ministry. This has reduced the number of closed roads to 21. “The closure is affecting 20 lakh residents,” he said.
“Commuters affected by the closed roads have to travel 8 km extra to cover 800 metres, which is a walkable distance,” said Mr Pankaj Sethi from Yapral.
“The people have been waiting for years to be relieved from the trials, expenses and pollution caused by the closure of roads which were open to them for 150 years. People sincerely hope that one more order of the defence minister is flouted by LMA in the manner they have been doing for four years,” Mr Sethi said.
While these doubts were raised, Mr Rama Krishna said, “It was a collective effort so far, now the responsibility lies with board members. We will ensure that the implementation takes place very soon.”
Following the orders to open all closed roads, many took to social media to thank defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
A tweet by Mr Malcom Wolfe read, “We thank Madam (defence minister Nirmala Sitaraman) for the order to open the Cantonment roads. Please ask those who made the decision to close roads to lakhs of people for 7 yrs explain their action, apologise publicly and other suitable penalties (sic).”