Road closure bogey returns to Secunderabad Cantonment

metro india news  I hyderabad : The spectre of road closures has returned to haunt Secunderabad Cantonment residents, with commuters once again facing longer journeys and detours of 5–8 km. After a lull of a few years, the restrictions have revived concerns over increased travel time and inconvenience for residents of the cantonment and surrounding neighbourhoods.

The roads were closed following a firearms theft at the 20th Battalion, Madras Regiment, on August 31. However, despite the suspect being identified and the primary investigation reportedly completed, the Local Military Authorities (LMA) have yet to reopen Richardson Road, Ammuguda Road, Holy Trinity Church Road, Protnee Road and Byam Road.

“The firearms case has been solved and the primary investigation has been completed. What is the need to keep the roads closed any longer? The LMA just needs an excuse,” said Rakesh, a Sainikpuri resident.

According to the Federation of North-Eastern Colonies of Secunderabad (FNECS), the closures are forcing commuters to take lengthy detours, adding nearly an hour to their travel time in some cases. In Bolarum, the affected roads are important for civilian movement, and the restrictions have diverted traffic onto alternative routes, increasing travel distances for residents of surrounding areas.

A FNECS representative said the LMA had not announced any timeline for reopening the roads, leaving residents uncertain about when normal traffic movement would resume.

The closures have made travel between Yapral, Sainikpuri, Bolarum and other parts of north-east Hyderabad increasingly difficult. FNECS estimates that around 10 lakh people are affected by the restrictions.

The impact is particularly evident on the Yapral–Hakimpet checkpost stretch. A journey that earlier took about 10 minutes now takes more than 40 minutes during evening peak hours, according to the federation.

Residents are questioning the continuation of the restrictions and demanding that the military authorities clarify the reasons for keeping the roads closed and announce a definite reopening schedule. They say prolonged restrictions are disrupting daily commutes and imposing an avoidable burden on thousands of families.