Free ride on cantonment roads may be short-lived

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has indicated to be open to review the decision notified on May 21 to throw open for civilians all the cantonment roads across the country without any checks.

She was apparently rattled from the wives of the Army officers launching a countrywide signature campaign, saying their representatives will meet the defence minister to plead for reversing the decision.

“Welcome to meet me. Shall hear them with an open mind,” Sitharaman tweeted even as the defence ministry officials tried to explain the pressure built by a group of MPs and the elected officebearers of the 62 cantonment boards in a recent meeting with her to allow the civilian access to the cantonment roads.

She had agreed to their demand after review the matter with the Chief of Army Staff General Bipin Rawat, Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra and the senior defence ministry officials.

The review meeting noted that the army cantonments were set up mostly at a distance from the towns and cities, but they have now come within them due to the growth of population and as such the cantonment roads cannot be shut for use by the civilian population.

Families of the Army officers feel the decision will weaken security of the cantonments, particularly because of the way the military bases have been attacked in the recent past.

Instead of removing all check-posts on the cantonment roads and allowing free movement of civilian traffic round the clock as decreed in the May 21 order, sources said the defence minister has ordered preparation of a simplified detailed standard operating procedure that she would like to discuss with the Army officers’ wives on balancing the needs of the local public and the military establishment.

Govt to review the decision to throw open for civilians all the cantonment roads across the country without any checks