HYDERABAD: The High Court ruled on Friday that the General Officer Commanding of Andhra Sub Area is competent to impose restrictions on civilian movement on nine roads within the Secunderabad Cantonment Area limits.
Justice P Naveen Rao was dismissing a batch of petitions, including two public interest litigations, filed against the decision of the Army to restrict the civilian traffic on major roads from SP Road/East Marredpally towards Allahabad Gate (Entrancement Road), from Secunderabad Club, Picket/West Marredpally towards Wellington Enclave (Wellington Road), from Safilguda junction towards Safilguda railway crossing (Ordnance Road) and Trimulgherry Hanuman temple to Gough Road (Mornington Road) and Kendriya Vidyalaya crossing to East/West Marredpally (Gough Road).
While upholding the power of the Army authority, the judge observed that “subject to security concerns and training schedules, it is for the General Officer Commanding (GOC) to allow civilian traffic on the subject roads till alternative road network is developed.”
While dismissing the petitions, the judge directed that the Hyderabad district collector and Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation shall place the report on expansion and strengthening the alternative routes before this court within two months.
He directed the civic authorities to make all arrangements expeditiously for alternative road network so that the civilians need not use the roads belonging to the Army in the Secunderabad Cantonment area and Army officers are free to regulate traffic till then keeping in view the security.