Four days before the impeding closure of Gough Road that connects AOC Circle to Neredmet, the Defence Ministry gave a breather to residents of the area by deferring its decision. The road will remain open for another six months.
The closure of the road was slated for June 1. Local Military Authority had put notices announcing closure in April, citing orders of High Court.
Closure of AOC to civilian traffic was announced more than two years ago by the Army, which maintains security issues and restriction of troop movement as reasons for cordoning off AOC and few other roads in Secunderabad Cantonment.
Alternative
The move has not gone well with residents who continue to campaign against the closure and pressurise the State Government to prevail up on the Centre.
In the latest communication sent to the ministry’s representatives in the State, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said that Gough Road will remain open until end of November stating that it was being done at the request of the Chief Minister. He urged the State to develop the alternative roads.
The GHMC has planned to lay a 60-ft road from R.K. Puram flyover to Safilguda as an alternative link to Gough Road. This road will connect another 100 ft road between Safilguda and Allahabad Exit at the AOC.
It remains to be seen if the State can develop these roads in six months as the State had sought one year postponement of closure.
This is the second instance of postponement of Gough Road closure in the last one year.
Army had announced closure at the end of November last year. State intervened to have it deferred to June 1.
Postponement and subsequent development of alternative roads would benefit residents of Sainikpuri, Neredmet, R.K. Puram and A.S. Rao Nagar commuting to Secunderabad.
No recent communication has been received about roads closed in Yapral and Bollarum about two years ago.
