Hyderabad: The defence ministry has offered to hand over 40 acres in a land-for-land deal in the Secunderabad cantonment to the state government to build an alternative to the arterial Gough Road which runs through the heart of the Army area.
"The state government is yet to respond to the proposal," defence sources told this correspondent.
If the government builds an alternative road, it would come as a boon to commuters in the north and northeast parts of the city who need to travel via the Gough Road, Ordnance Road, Entrenchment Road and Wellington Road in the Army area to reach Secunderabad.
Sources said the defence ministry had issued working permission for the state government's acquisition of around 40 acres to build the alternative to the Gough Road, skirting the Army Ordnance Corps (AOC) Centre and leading to RK Puram and Neredmet.
As per the plan, two roads are to be built, one each from East Marredpally and West Marredpally, which will merge and lead to the RK Puram flyover while skirting the AOC centre.
In exchange for the defence land, the state government according to the defence ministry proposal is to provide alternative land and compensation for the loss of the Army's infrastructure like buildings, water pipelines, drains and electricity network.
The sources said the sanction was the last thing pending from the Union government’s side. “It is up to the state government to decide when it wishes to start the project. The ball is now in the government's court,” the sources said.
This is in compliance with the High Court ruling in 2014 directing the Hyderabad collector and Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation to work towards expanding and strengthening the alternative routes in the cantonment and Army areas. The court had also directed the civic authorities to make a full-fledged alternative road network so that civilians need not use the roads belonging to the Army in the cantonment area.
"It is necessary for the civil administration to rise to the occasion and take immediate measures so that civilians are not put to inconveniences and hardships," the judge observed.
