The residents of Secunderabad have gotten yet another extension from the Local Military Authority (LMA) over the closure of the Gough Road in AOC, thereby extending its sixth deadline in two years.
On Thursday, confusion prevailed after the LMA installed a board near the National Security Guards (NSC) training centre, that stated that Gough Road would be closed to civilians from Friday. However, it was removed later in the evening.
The Deccan Chronicle reported that Col. Harpreet Singh, Deputy Commandant, AOC Centre, had written to authorities of the state government on on November 17, following which Chief Secretary SP Singh wrote to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) seeking another extension.
The Local Military Authority (LMA) had sought the closure of the Gough Road from December 1 this year stating that the, "administration, training and security of AOC Centre are being adversely affected due to this road being used as a thoroughfare."
This had followed a visit to Delhi by Malkajgiri MP Malla Reddy and Telangana state official representative S Venugopalachary in May this year, where they met Union minister of state for defence Subhash Bhamre and other officials, and submitted a representation.
“We explained to the minister and authorities how crucial is Gough Road for lakhs of residents in the Malkajgiri parliamentary constituency and how people would be inconvenienced if it is closed," Malla Reddy had said at the time.
The issue has been contentious, ever since the proposal in February 2014, and the deadline for the closure has been extended several times over the past three years, after representations were made to the Centre.
The Gough Road is used by more than 1 lakh residents everyday, and connects various parts of Secunderabad with Hyderabad.
Meanwhile, the state government has been promising to build alternate roads, but the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), is yet to begin work.
The municipal body submitted a Detailed Project Report (DPR) and sought Rs 115 crore, to lay alternate roads earlier this year.