Hyderabad: Army road closures after arms theft snarl traffic, hit lakhs

Several roads passing through Indian Army establishments in and around Hyderabad's Bolarum, Yapral and Kowkoor areas have been closed for the past nine days, causing significant inconvenience to commuters and worsening traffic congestion. The closures come amid heightened security following the reported theft of 12 firearms from the 20 Madras Regiment premises at Bolarum.

Signboards reading 'Security Alert: Inconvenience Regretted' have been placed outside multiple Army establishments. Field checks show that the Kowkoor Army road near the College of Defence Management, which also houses the Cavalry Barracks, has been closed. This road was earlier open to civilians travelling towards Hakimpet.

A frequent commuter, Vikas, said: "The gates were earlier open and the only thing the Army personnel used to check was whether the pillion rider also had a helmet or not." The EME Centre Temple along the same road has also been closed, with the same security alert displayed at the entrance. An Army personnel guarding the gate said he was following orders given to him.

The closures have sparked concern among residents' groups in the northeastern parts of Hyderabad. The Federation of North Eastern Colonies of Secunderabad (FNECS) said the Local Military Authorities had kept multiple roads in the Cantonment closed since August 31, affecting more than 10 lakh residents. According to FNECS, the closed roads include Yapral Road, Byam Road, Hislop Road, Rajender Singhji Road, Barr Road, Richardson Road, Golf-Course Balaji Nagar Road, Ammuguda Road and Protnee Road.

A resident said: "Travel time between Yapral and Hakimpet checkpost, which earlier took around 10 minutes, is now taking more than 40 minutes in the evening because of congestion on the remaining open roads." FNECS added that there has been no official announcement explaining the road closures. Guards at some of the closed gates reportedly cited a 'red alert' following the theft of arms and ammunition from the Madras Regiment premises.

It may be recalled that the Hyderabad City Traffic Police had earlier raised objections to the closure of Cantonment roads. In a letter dated November 12, 2022, the then Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) noted that traffic in the area had increased over 2.5 times since 2011. The letter also highlighted longer vehicle transit times, lower speeds, increased pollution and higher fuel consumption resulting from congestion and detours.

FNECS has urged the Local Military Authorities to reopen the roads, stating that the restrictions have placed a daily burden on residents. When contacted, Secunderabad Cantonment Board CEO Arvind Kumar Dwivedi said the SCB had not closed any roads, and that the Local Military Authorities may have effected the closures.