Gurugram: Hundreds of residents living in Sushant Lok 1, DLF Phase IV, and several other condominiums in the area came out on the street on Sunday morning demanding their right to access Umeed Marg. Umeed Marg is the main arterial road between MG Road Metro Station and Sushant Lok and DLF Phase IV.
The protestors alleged that for the past few weeks, the road is being unscrupulously controlled by a few residents through illegally erected gates that manned by private guards resulting into lot of inconvenience to them.
Livid by the unwarranted decision, men and women from A Block Sushant Lok, DLF Phase IV, Laburnum, The IVY, Maple Residence, Chanderlok, Vakil Market Association and Holtec Centre joined the protest march in large numbers shouting slogans and demanding access to the road.
The marched ended up at the MG Road Police post where the protestors met the SHO of Sector 29 police station and registered their complaint.
Inspector Ved Prakash, the SHO, pacified the agitated residents and gave them an assurance of free movement of traffic on the said road.
“The road,” he said, “has been open for public use and the entrance will be allowed from the Umeed Marg and exist from the other gate for better traffic movement. The number of speed breaker will be reduced and people coming after 11 pm have to mark their entry in a register to ensure the safety and security of the area.”
They said that a few influential residents and commercial establishments located on the road are taking the law in their own hands by using their discretion on traffic movement on the road.
“I am living in here for more than 19 years but never faced such a situation till the past few weeks ago, recounted Aqbal Khurana, a resident of A- block Sushant Lok. “A few residents have blocked the movement on the road and are not allowing school buses, cabs and other vehicles to use this road which is completely against the law.”
“This is the main connecting road to our society. Our children study in Delhi and often travel by metro. Since the road is blocked, they Instead are forced to take a longer route to reach home as auto rickshaws are not allowed to use this road. This is unacceptable to all of us,” she added.
The residents alleged that they lodged a complaint with the office of Deputy Commissioner of Gurugram, DTP Gurugram and CM window for the cancellation of approval granted for installation of gates on Umeed Marg, but no action has been taken on this matter.
They alleged that free movement of motorised and non motorised vehicles on Umeed Marg have been blocked and unilaterally converted into one-way road leading to traffic jam and chaos in the vicinity.
“Cabs, autos and even cycle rickshaws are not allowed through Umeed Marg which often leads to altercation with unruly private guard. Senior citizens and children are the worst affected from this sudden unilaterally move,” said Deepika Singh, a resident of The IVY.
They also demanded the removal of unauthorised speed breaker within the residential area as it is causing spinal injuries and damaging their vehicles.
Satpal Kochhar, a resident of Maple Residence said, “This is the public road and the main connecting road to MG Road which has been illegally converted into private road by putting a notice board stating it to be a ‘No Thoroughfare’. It is completely illegal move. We have demanded that the local police should ensure the unrestricted movement of traffic on this road.”
