Object to road closure notices, SCB residents urged

Federation of Northeastern Colonies of Secunderabad on Friday urged residents and local residential welfare associations to raise their objections

Hyderabad: The Federation of Northeastern Colonies of Secunderabad on Friday urged residents and local residential welfare associations to raise their objections to the recent notices on closure of roads issued by Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB).

The Federation, which has been spearheading protests over closure of roads in SCB by the Local Military Authority (LMA), said “closure of SCB roads, which was done illegally, is now sought to be regularised by asking for public objections, years after the roads were closed. This is happening despite the fact that officials know fully well how crucial the internal closed roads are for people from areas including Sainikpuri, Vayupuri, Dr A S Rao Nagar, Yapral, Balaji Nagar and Kowkur to access Rajiv Rahadari.”

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The Federation has also released templates for individuals (https://bit.ly/3E0NwT3) and RWAs (https://bit.ly/3hcdZ6Z), to raise their objections.

In October, the SCB had issued two notices asking public for objections and suggestions about the closure of six roads including Ammuguda Road (500m), Byam Road (500m), Albain Road (700m), Empress Road (900m), Protenee Road (500m) and Richardson Road (300m).

The first notice on October 18 said they plan to close these six roads which were already closed, the Federation said adding that, following a public outcry, the second notice on October 25 was issued by SCB as a corrigendum and admits that the six roads were closed. And yet, the notice asks for objections and suggestions from public.

The process of issuing such notices was illegal because the Law and Defence Ministry clearly say that such an exercise of asking people for objections must be done before roads are closed and not afterwards. There is no provision in law to regularise past closures and the roads must first be reopened, the Federation said.