Firearms heist solved, but Bolarum roads in SCB remain shut; citizens demand immediate reopening

Despite the Telangana Police solving the firearms theft case at the 20th Battalion, Madras Regiment, the Local Military Authorities (LMA) have not reopened key civilian roads in Bolarum, causing continued inconvenience to around 3.5 lakh residents and commuters in the Secunderabad Cantonment area.

Hyderabad: Despite the Malkajgiri Police officially solving the high-profile firearms heist at the 20th Battalion, Madras Regiment, the ‘Local Military Authorities’ (LMA) are yet to lift traffic restrictions on key civilian roads in Bolarum within Secunderabad Cantonment.

Although the Telangana police recently completed their primary investigation, traffic problems continue to affect nearly 3.5 lakh residents and daily commuters, with closed roads yet to reopen, according to the Federation of North-Eastern Colonies of Secunderabad (FNECS) which took the lead in resolving the road closure issue.

---

LMA shut Richardson Road, Ammuguda Road, Holy Trinity Church Road, Protnee Road and Byam Road after an arms theft was reported at 20 Battalion, Madras Regiment, on August 31, according to FNECS.

The closures forced commuters to take detours of 5 to 8 kilometres, causing inconvenience and delays in reaching their workplaces. Adding fuel to the fire, the prolonged road closures are forcing residents into gruelling, 40 to 50 minute detours under unseasonably high temperatures. Commuters report feeling trapped in stifling, summer-like heat while stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic on gridlocked bypass routes, prompting outrage among FNECS members.

Resident welfare groups, motorists and commuters have urged ‘Local Military Authorities’ (LMA) to reopen blocked thoroughfares immediately, citing prolonged detours, exhausting travel times and unseasonably high temperatures during daily journeys.