Four roads in Secunderabad Cantonment closed, residents challenge defense ministry order 2023

Four public roads in Hyderabad’s Secunderabad Cantonment area remain at the center of a dispute over access, safety and implementation of a Ministry of Defense (MoD) order issued more than three years ago. Residents say the closures have lengthened travel distances and made it difficult to move between Yapral, Sainikpuri, Bolarum and other parts of northeast Hyderabad. Roads closed include Prontee Road, Byam Road, Richardson Road and Ammuguda Road.

The road closure raised questions about the Ministry of Defence’s 2023 order ordering local military authorities (LMAs) to reopen the roads. The Federation of North East Colonies of Secunderabad (FNECS) questioned why the restrictions continued and whether the procedure prescribed under the Camps Act, 2006 was followed before the roads were closed.

What does the 2023 Department of Defense order say?

In its communication dated 20 April 2023, the Ministry of Defense said that a commission had been set up to review the closure of 39 roads by the LMA without completing the prescribed procedure for assessing the need for closure based on perceived threats. Based on the commission’s recommendation, the MoD ordered the communications mentioned in the communication to be put into operation with immediate effect.

Why were the roads closed again?

According to CS Chandrashekar of FNECS, several roads in the cantonment were reopened as per the department’s instructions, but were subsequently closed again. He questioned why the authorities renewed the restrictions despite earlier communication. The closure also comes after the recent theft of firearms from the Madras Regiment facility in Bolarum. Several roads in the area were closed following the incident. After police cracked the case, some roads were reopened, but restrictions were subsequently re-imposed.

Mr. Chandrashekar said residents were not informed of any process involving public notices and calls for objections before the roads were closed again. He also questioned whether the MoD was informed of the subsequent restrictions. “The authorities cannot treat the 2023 communication as irrelevant and continue to close public roads without following the prescribed legal process,” he said.

How will the closures affect commuters?

The restrictions affected daily commuters between Yapral, Sainikpuri, Bolarum and neighboring localities. “The cantonment’s road network serves as a vital link between residential areas, commercial hubs and industrial clusters in the north-east of Hyderabad, connecting the Medchal industrial area in the west with the Charlapalli industrial area in the east, as well as the industrial hubs around Genome Valley and Balnagar. Movement restrictions in the cantonment not only affect residents but also logistics, industrial activity and day-to-day work activities.

Why is the Federation looking for wider paths?

In addition to demanding the reopening of four roads, FNECS called for a comprehensive review of the canton’s road network. Mr. Chandrashekar said several roads in the area were only about 20 feet wide compared to the much wider main roads elsewhere in Hyderabad. He argued that the state government should examine the network as a whole and consider taking over and widening the existing roads under the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).

Published – 12 Oct 2026 19:15 IST