HYDERABAD: Residents of at least 30 colonies in Secunderabad are being subjected to inconvenience after residents of Vayupuri and Sainikpuri Associations have allegedly shut down a road by constructing gates, violating the law.The 5th Crescent Road connecting Canara Bank on Netaji Nagar Road with Sainikpuri and colonies around it, has been shut completely making it inaccessible for residents of North Eastern Colonies of Secunderabad.
The citizens have pointed out that the closure is illegal as it is a public road and comes under the jurisdiction of GHMC. As per Section 374 of the GHMC Act-1955, only the GHMC commissioner has the authority to close a public road but only after prior sanction of the Corporation. Further, the Corporation itself cannot give permission unless there is at least one month’s prior notice given to the residents. This too is approved only after all objections from residents are clarified. None of this has been done, allege the residents.
“They are supposed to publish the closing down of a road in the newspapers and inform all citizens about it. Objections should also be considered and only after they are resolved, they can shut it. However, no notice has been given by the commissioner to the residents, nor have any objections from residents been considered by the Corporation. The closure seems to have been carried out by Sainikpuri Association without any legal authority to do so,” informed a resident and member of the Federation of North Eastern Colonies of Secunderabad.
The residents further said that the closure of this road causes major inconvenience to those commuting from areas to the east of Sainikpuri, forcing them to take detours and adding traffic to the already congested road from Indubaala Petrol Pump to Netaji Nagar.They also alleged that the Vayupuri and Sainikpuri Associations have been taking the law in their own hands instead of appointing security guards where in the past they have attempted to close several other roads, such as Sainikpuri 3rd Aveneue, Vayupuri 1st Avenue, etc.The residents demanded that the GHMC take immediate action and remove these gates which have been erected illegally.