Army okays route to bypass AOC road
Hyderabad: The Local Military Authority (LMA) gave the green signal for an alternative route from Safilguda to Allahabad Gate in the AOC but raised a few objections to the alignment of the RK Puram-Safilguda route. The LMA and Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation in principle have agreed to exchange 34 acres of land to build alternative roads. The Army has given clearance for a 100-foot-wide road from the Safilguda railway gate to the Mahindra Hills crossroads but asked for a re-survey from RK Puram to Safilguda.
The objections raised are due to the presence of Army quarters, stormwater drains network and compound walls. The LMA, headed by Major General N. Srinivas Rao, General Officer Commanding, Telangana & Andhra Sub Area, met GHMC commissioner Dr B. Janardhan Reddy and team at the sub-area office on Thursday to finalise the two alternative roads which were sanctioned by the state urban development ministry. Gen. Rao gave a clean chit for the 100-foot road from Safilguda to Allahabad Gate 2, but asked the GHMC Commissioner to conduct another round of inspection from RK Puram to Safilguda.
“The LMA has temporarily withdrawn proposals for closure of Gough Road in Secunderabad Cantonment. The Army has agreed to keep the road open until May 2018. Two roads were identified as a substitute for the cantonment roads. The first step is to speed up the construction of the road connecting Marredpally-Entrenchment Road to Safilguda Railway Cross. Army officers agreed to continue the status quo until 2018,” said the GHMC chief.
Construction of the alternative roads will begin once the state government clarifies the total land to be exchanged including the Bison polo grounds land and space for the highway connecting Paradise to Karimnagar. The Telangana government has already informed the ministry of defence about a large parcel of land in Vikarabad district which will be handed over to the LMA in the exchange.