Signature drive for reopening roads in SCB intensifies

Trimulgherry/Bolarum: Signature campaign for the reopening of public roads in Secunderabad Cantonment area is all set to intensify as residents in the nearby colonies of Bolarum and Trimulgherry have decided to take up the matter with senior leaders and policy makers of the State government. 

Spearheaded by, a 76-year-old resident,  Gulshan Bamboat, several dwellers in areas around Yapral, Ammuguda, Kowkoor, Balaji Nagar, Kapra, and Sainikpuri have decided to submit petitions to the Chief Minister of Telangana along with the Minister for Urban Development, Director General of Defence Estates, Army HQ, CEO of the Secunderabad Cantonment Board, GHMC Commissioner ,elected Board Members of SCB, people's representatives from the twin cities and the members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence to ensure a strong action is taken before deadline setup for the closed roads, extends.

Condemning the move of defense authorities as a cause of inconvenience to public movement in those areas, residents had earlier filed to the then Minister Manohar Parrikar and current Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman as a response to which the ministry issued orders in 2015 to reopen all cantonment roads closed by the LMA citing that they don't have the power to close public routes but till date no action has been taken to open up the pathways for civilians. 

In fact, the matter was raised in the Reports of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence during the last 2 years, but shockingly the documents submitted by the Director General of Defence Estates stated that no roads were closed in any cantonment region. 

The issue was also taken up with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi by MP Mallareddy, J Ramakrishna, Vice President, SCB along with Pandu Rangam Yadav and Aruri Ramesh MLA yet people in Secunderabad Cantonment are still forced to take long detours or avoid the routes at certain times of the day. Over 15 roads as old as 150 years still lie closed for the public after being shut down by the MLA.