Remove barriers of entry/exit to the public roads

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG, AUG 10: Opposition UDP legislator from West Shillong Paul Lyngdoh today demanded the chief minister Mukul Sangma to intervene into the closure of public roads in cantonment areas in the city.

In a letter to Sangma here on Thursday, Lyngdoh said, “I request you to take up the matter with the appropriate authorities for the immediate removal of barriers of entry/exit to the public roads.”

He informed that the general public have approached him on the unnecessary closure of roads in the cantonment areas which include the road opposite Shillong Civil Hospital and Mawshbuit area causing lot of inconvenience to them.

The MLA also alleged proper procedure was not carried out in closure of the road especially the footpath from Anjali Cinema Hall towards Bawri Netralaya Hospital, which was completely sealed.

Lyngdoh said that the action was in violation against a letter dated January 9, 2015 issued by D.K. Malik, additional director-general (cantonments) of the directorate general defence estates, ministry of defence estates, New Delhi to all principal directors, defence estates.

Quoting ministry’s letter, he said, “It has clearly stated that public roads in cantonments are being closed by the local military authorities without any statutory to do so and without following the procedures prescribed to section 258 of the cantonments act, 2006.”

It also stated, “the matter has been considered in te ministry of defence and it has been decided that no public road, outside unit lines, in a cantonment shall be closed by any authority other than a cantonment board for any reasons other than security and without following the procedure laid down under section 258 of the cantonments act, 2006. If in the opinion of the local military authorities, any road needs to be closed for security reasons, it will approach the local cantonment board to set the process in motion as required under section 258 of the cantonments act, 2006.”