Hyderabad: Over 500 locals including school students protested at Trimulgherry near Lal Bazaar on Monday against the local Army authorities for closing the Golden Fafa Quarter gate, which was used by students of four schools. Local resident Micheal Abrahim said, “The gate has been there for three years. Earlier it was kept open for school children and church goers, but for the last two months they have kept the gate locked. Due to this, students are forced to either use the main road or walk three kilometre to reach the schools or take the narrow alternative way. The Army has rejected repeated requests by citizens to open the road during school hours so that the students can cross it. The closure has been causing severe inconvenience.”
The gate served as a way to four schools, St. Joseph’s School with a strength 2,400, Holy Family High School 2,200, St. Joseph’s Junior College 600 and MBR School 500. It also connected one of the city’s oldest church built in 1880, – the Holy Family Church – with 1,100 parishioners. When contacted, an Army officer said, “Orders have been issued to close the gate after the Uri attack.” School students and churchgoers have an alternative route that passes through a slum. It is a very narrow route and there’s not much room for autorickshaws and vehicles to ply.
