Telangana government failed to respond regarding the Gough Road
Army informed about Gough Road closure well in advance
Hyderabad: The only response from the Telangana government regarding the closure of Gough Road is a week-old letter to the defence minister in which the Chief Minister has requested a further extension of the deadline until alternatives are in place. The local military authorities had informed the state government through meetings held with the Chief Secretary and GHMC about the closure of roads.
The Army has agreed in principle to part with defence land so that municipal authorities can construct roads. The plan to close Gough Road was informed to top state officials at a meet held in September and the officials had three months to provide alternatives.
In October the military authorities had sent a letter to the GHMC commissioner and the Hyderabad police commissioner about their intention to close Gough Road.
The residents of Sainikpuri, Kapra, RK Puram, A.S Rao Nagar and Balaji Nagar have submitted several representations to the GHMC, local MLA, MLC and MP about the Army’s plans. In December 2014 the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation conducted a survey jointly with the Secunderabad Cantonment Board to identify alternative roads.
The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation said that defence land from AOC and EME Centre is needed to lay the 100-feet road between Safilguda railway gate and Wellington Road and the 60-feet road between Wellington Road and Trimulgherry Road near Hanuman temple along the southern and western periphery of AOC Centre.
Simultaneously, the 100-feet road between Trimulgherry junction and RK Puram road over bridge (All Saints Road) on the northern periphery of AOC centre, 60-feet road between Safilguda railway gate and RK Puram RoB on the eastern periphery of AOC Centre, 60-feet road between Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and RK Puram RoB on the eastern periphery of EME Centre will have to be laid.
This was the last proposal made by the government. Closing of Gough Road will affect residents of RK Puram up to ECIL. This will double traffic on the already congested Trimulgherry Road. As per the survey around 40,000 vehicles will have to ply on this stretch.
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