KTR writes to Defence Minister urging to open AOC roads

Local Military Authorities closing public roads arbitrarily, says Minister

Municipal Minister K.T. Rama Rao has urged Defence Minister Rajnath Singh to instruct the Local Military Authorities (LMA) of Secunderabad Cantonment Board (SCB) for restraint in unauthorised closure and blocking of roads. In a letter to the Union Minister, he said the closure of roads was affecting millions of citizens’ travel in north and north-eastern parts of Hyderabad city. He requested the Union Defence Ministry to pass necessary instructions to the LMA Hyderabad to immediately open all these roads and further restrain them from taking any unilateral and arbitrary decision for closure of any of the public roads without following the due process, as contemplated under Section 258 of Cantonment Act 2006. The Minister said that in July 2020, the Local Military Authorities had shut down four important roads — Allahabad Gate, Gough Road, Wellington Road, and Ordinance Road citing a surge in COVID-19 cases. “It is distressing to note that these roads are closed often for reasons bordering on frivolity. The State had taken up all required necessary measures to contain COVID including lockdown in May and June but surprisingly, roads are now closed despite the lockdown having been lifted,” he said.