Residents demand defence land for missing Manikonda-Narsingi road link
HYDERABAD: Every day, thousands of residents in Alkapur Township, Neknampur, Manikonda, Puppalguda, and nearby areas face long, frustrating commutes. School children miss their buses. Office workers waste hours. Emergency vehicles struggle to get through, all because of a missing 100-metre stretch of road.
Going into the details of the issue, the problem is a missing link that is about 0.60 acre of Defence land blocks these communities from easy access to Narsingi Road (Radial Road-5).
This road is part of the Hyderabad Missing Links Road Project, meant to close key gaps in city infrastructure. But this small Defence land stretch has remained unresolved for years. Residents are forced to use longer, more congested routes every day.
“The irony is this isn’t a demand for large-scale acquisition,” said Mohammed Arif, General Secretary of The Citizens Council for a Better Society, which launched a petition for a solution. “We’re only asking for 100 metres, a small stretch that would change thousands of lives.”
The petition, which has already gathered signatures, is addressed to several authorities. These include the Chief Minister of Telangana, the Defence Minister of India, the Chief Secretary, and the General Officer Commanding of Telangana & Andhra Sub Area.
Additionally, residents said the missing link causes a chain of problems: more traffic on alternate routes, slower emergency response, wasted fuel, higher transport costs, increased air pollution, unsafe detours, and hardship for school children, seniors, and office commuters.
Residents are especially frustrated because other Defence land transfers have been completed successfully in the past. For example, the Gandhi Sarovar Project at Langer Houz succeeded after the President of India sanctioned 83.814 acres of Defence land for public use. This showed that when the government and Defence authorities work together, they can find practical, mutually beneficial solutions.
“Given this history, we don’t understand why just 0.60 acre of Defence land for a crucial road is still unresolved. If 83.814 acres could be sanctioned for a major public project, surely a solution can be found for a 100-metre road,” the petition says.
The Citizens Council has four main demands: Immediate action from the Government of Telangana and the Ministry of Defence. Creation of a joint committee with state urban, road, and Defence officials to find a time-bound solution. Consider options like land exchange, easement rights, or any fair mechanism for connectivity. Allow temporary, regulated access for residents, school buses, and emergency vehicles while a permanent solution is developed, with Defence security respected.
Further, residents added that this isn’t just about a road. It’s about better connectivity, less traffic, faster emergency response, safer travel, lower fuel use and pollution, and a better quality of life for thousands.
“Sometimes, transforming the lives of thousands does not require kilometres of new roads, it only requires completing the last 100 metres,” the petition observes.
As the petition gains support, residents hope authorities will recognize the urgency and work together for the public good. The Citizens Council has urged both the State Government and the Ministry of Defence to settle this long-pending issue quickly.
