Residents oppose Cantonment road closures, question land ownership claims

Hyderabad: Residents of Northeast Secunderabad are once again locked in a battle against what they term illegal closure of Cantonment roads, accusing military authorities of defying ministry of defence (MoD) orders and setting the stage for more restrictions in the future. The controversy has deepened with reports that Army officials have asked the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) to speed up work on “alternate roads” — a move that locals believe is a cover for future roadblocks.

“They are stressing on ‘alternate roads’ because once these are ready, they will shut down existing ones,” said C.S. Chandrashekhar, secretary of the Federation of North Eastern Colonies of Secunderabad (FNECS). “This is not just about inconvenience; it is an attempt to alter the very nature of the Cantonment and limit public access.”

One of the most contentious aspects of this dispute is the ownership of Cantonment land. While the military has reportedly offered land for these “alternate roads,” it has also demanded compensation from the Telangana government — something residents and activists call absurd.

“Secunderabad was never British Crown land like other Cantonments in India. It was always under the Nizam’s rule. Public land here was part of Hyderabad State’s Diwani (civil) land, which legally belongs to Telangana today. So, why should Telangana pay the Centre for its own land?” Chandrashekhar explained.

FNECS has presented historical records proving that the British stationed troops in Secunderabad through treaties with the Nizam but never owned the land. Unlike Cantonments in other parts of India, where the British controlled the land, Secunderabad remained under the Hyderabad State. This means that post-Independence, the land should have rightfully been transferred to the state of Telangana, not the central government, another resident said.

The potential closure of roads in the Cantonment is not a minor issue—it affects more than 20 lakh people across three GHMC circles (Malkajgiri, Alwal, and Kapra) and five of the eight wards under the Secunderabad Cantonment Board.

“Alternate roads are fine, but that doesn’t mean existing roads should be closed,” said a resident of Sainikpuri Ramavathi K. For those living in Yapral, Sainikpuri, and surrounding areas, these so-called ‘new roads’ do nothing. They are simply a way to justify shutting down the roads we already have.”

Past closures, such as those on AOC Road and Byam Road, caused massive disruptions. Despite the MoD ruling that public roads in Cantonments should remain open, residents say military authorities continue to act on their own, they added.

FNECS has urged the Telangana government to resist any move that legitimises road closures and to assert its ownership over Cantonment land. The group is also pushing for legal action to prevent the military from demanding compensation for land that, they argue, already belongs to the state.

“If we allow this, tomorrow they will take away more roads and more public spaces,” warned a local resident. “This isn’t just about Secunderabad. It’s about protecting public access everywhere.”