Army-HMDA land row puts people in distress

Narsingi: The residents of Alkapur Township are suffering due to the scuffle between Central commandant, Artillery Centre, Golconda, and Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) over ownership of land.

Pranaye Karanti, a local resident, said, "The defence authorities had no problem when there was a kachha road. When the municipal authorities started road work to ease the traffic, they came and blocked it. The road must be opened again as it helps people reach Alkapur and Puppalguda, thereby reducing traffic from Narsingi."

The residents say the Artillery Centre closed the road that connects the main road from the township which can be beneficial for the residents as it will save time and cause less traffic. Now the residents have to use a kachha road which leads to Neknampur Lake.

There have been instances of drunkards harassing women passing after dusk. T Latha (35) a homemaker and a local resident who was returning from market one evening, was followed by a drunkard near the Neknampur lake. She had to run until she reached a crowded place. Sharing her experience, she says, "It is very horrifying to walk past the lake on that kachha road once it is dark.

The road is also not properly lit, which emboldens drunkards to do such things. After the recent incidents, every woman from our colony is concerned about commuting on that road after dusk."

P Sonika, a teacher by profession, says the cab services don't accept the trips if they enter their location inside the colony. She deplored, "It is very difficult to book a cab till my apartment. The cab driver cancels the ride once he sees the location or argues to drop us outside the lane as the road is not commutable from where we have to walk all the way till our colony."