HYDERABAD: The deadline for the Gough Road closure approaching fast has left people in the vicinity tense.
After initially putting up display boards towards the end of November 2017 indicating restrictions on movement of civilian vehicles on Gough Road, the military authorities had to concede to the demand of the state government and locals to grant extension till May 31.
The road was being used by nearly 1.5 lakh commuters daily as it connected various parts of Secunderabad with Hyderabad.
Though the problem was related to Secunderabad Cantonment Board, the state government had asked the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation to take up construction of alternative roads.
The GHMC and the army establishment held a series of meetings on the two alternative roads — one from Safilguda Railway Gate to Allahabad Gate and the other from RK Puram to Safilguda. The army suggested some changes and plan finalisation was still being worked out. It would be only after this that land exchange part would be worked out.
Nearly 35 acres of army land will have to be acquired by the state government for construction of the alternative roads and there was no clarity still on how both parties would arrive at a consensus.
People from the north-eastern colonies in Secunderabad were outrightly opposing the two alternative road proposals.
They even wrote an open letter to GHMC chief on why the civic body was not focussing on finding an alternative solution to 15-odd roads that were already closed or on which restrictions were being imposed.
Member of federation of the north-eastern colonies in Secunderabad C.S. Chandrashekar asked what the alternative road plan was for people from the colonies in Yapral and Kapra, where the army had closed roads three years ago. The present two roads being considered are limited only to some areas in Secunderabad, he added.
State to knock MoD doors to push deadline
With the road closure deadline nearing, the Telangana state administration will be seeking another extension again. A written communication will be sent to Ministry of Defence from the government shortly.
Higher ups in the municipal department have already been alerted on this issue. Despite knocking on the doors of defence well in advance, authorities are not hopeful for an immediate response.
