Andhra Pradesh high court told army to keep roads open

Hyderabad: In a major relief to citizens living in colonies adjacent to the Secunderabad Cantonment, the AP High Court on Tuesday refused to vacate the stay order granted on the Army’s decision to close major roads in Cantonment for civilian traffic.

While dismissing the petitions by the Army authorities seeking vacation of the stay, Justice P. Naveen Rao made the stay absolute. The judge directed the committee, which was constituted with police, Army and civic authorities, to reach an amicable solution to the problem, to sit again, discuss the issue and submit a report to the court.

The judge was hearing a batch of petitions challenging the decision of the Army authorities to block traffic on five major roads from SP Road/East Marredpally towards Allahabad Gate (Entrenchment 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), from February 25.

On February 28, the court had granted an interim order directing the Union Cabinet secretary and officer commanding the station/sector commander not to impose any restriction on free flow of traffic on the five major roads.

The Army authorities had moved the court to vacate the stay petitions contending that the authorities had taken a decision not to allow traffic in view of safety and security.