Hyderabad: The two alternative routes sanctioned by the state urban development ministry — Safilguda to Allahabad Gate 2 and Ramakrishnapuram to Safilguda gate — will not help residents of Yapral, Balajinagar, Kowkoor and Sainikpuri. Residents questioned the absence of plans to build alternative roads to the northeastern areas of the city as ordered by the Hyderabad High Court.
Yapral resident Pankaj Sethi said the new alternative roads will not help to solve the problem of connectivity faced by Yapral, Balajinagar, Kowkoor and Sainikpuri on the eastern side of the military golf course, and Rajiv Rahadari on the western side.
“Four of the nine roads mentioned in the High Court judgement lie in the northeastern part of the city. Closure of these roads is forcing people to take long detours, as long as eight km.”
Mr Sethi said the court had mentioned nine specific roads in its orders, though in the writ petitions and PILs that were filed, the closure of many other roads was also questioned and discussed in the court.
“The High Court has allowed the Army to impose restrictions on civilian movement only on these nine roads and not on other closed roads,” he said.
Residents of Malkajgiri, Neredmet, and AS Rao Nagar to Radhika will benefit, but what about those affected right from Hakimpet,” said Dr Venu Gopal Appani, a resident of Sylvan Green at Yapral.
“When the High Court had ordered the state government to make arrangements for alternative routes for all the five petitioners, including those residing in the northern areas, why have only two roads been cleared? Why has the GHMC not planned for this side of the city, Mr Appani said.
Residents in these areas are demanding south, east, west and north connectivity. With the closure of these roads, the distance from Valerian Grammar School to Lakdawala Junction on Rajiv Rahadari has increased from 800 metre to 8 km, said Mr C.S. Chandra Shekar of Sai Baba Officers Colony.
“The only remaining east-west roads are Trimulgherry-RK Puram All Saints Road and the Lothkunta-Sainikpuri Road. This causes massive jams at Trimulgherry and Lothkunta even at late hours,” he said.
Gough Road to close on June 1
Even before Telangana MPs could start lobbying with the ministry of defence to extend the date for the Gough Road closure, Army authorities have sent out a notice reiterating that the main road for civilians would be shut from June 1.
A statement issued by the Army on Thursday stated that no road in the AOC Centre, other than Gough Road, is intended to be closed rom June 1. The closure of Gough Road had been postponed up to May 31 as per orders of the defence minister.
“In order to minimise problems of civilian commuters, the other AOC roads will remain open for now and will be closed later in a time-bound manner,” the statement said.
It said that emergency vehicles such as ambulances, fire brigades and school buses would be permitted on Gough Road at all times. Construction of alternative roads is being actively pursued by the Army authorities with the GHMC, the statement said.
Alternative roads proposed by the GHMC — from Safilguda railway gate to Allahabad Gate (East Marredpally) and Ramakrishnapuram to Safilguda — were recently approved by municipal administration minister K.T. Rama Rao and the proposal was sent to the Chief Minister for approval.
Telangana MPs K. Kavitha, B. Vinod Kumar and A.P. Jitender Reddy were to meet defence minister Manohar Parrikar to seek extension of the Gough Road closure date till the alternative roads were ready.
