Pune Cantonment Road Blockades Called Illegal, Welfare Association Approaches Army Command Â
Pune Cantonment Road Blockades Called Illegal, Welfare Association Approaches Army Command
Renuka Suryavanshi
Pune | February 4, 2026: Strong opposition has emerged against the alleged arbitrary closure of public roads in the Pune Cantonment area, with the Pune Cantonment Citizens’ Welfare Association (PCCIWA) formally raising serious concerns with senior Army authorities. In a detailed representation addressed to Major General Vishal Agarwal, General Officer Commanding, HQ DMSA, Pune, the association has objected to the installation of barricades, RCC columns, and gates on internal cantonment roads, calling the move illegal, disproportionate, and detrimental to public life.
In its letter dated January 29, 2026, the PCCIWA stated that civilians residing in Pune Cantonment, as well as thousands of daily commuters who rely on cantonment roads as a transit corridor, are facing growing difficulties due to the ongoing restrictions. According to the association, Army authorities have begun erecting permanent structures at multiple locations, effectively blocking roads that were previously open and freely accessible to the public.
The association pointed out that the affected areas are primarily residential zones inhabited by a mixed population of civilians and Army personnel. It noted that several barriers and check posts already exist in these locations, where Army personnel regularly verify entry. In such a scenario, the imposition of additional restrictions on pedestrian and vehicular movement was described as unjustified, unreasonable, and grossly disproportionate, particularly in the absence of any specific or visible security threat.
PCCIWA also recalled repeated assurances and directives issued in the past by senior national leaders and Army leadership. The letter referred to instructions given by the late former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and successive Army Commanders, who had categorically directed local military authorities not to close internal cantonment roads and to ensure unhindered movement for residents and commuters.
Highlighting Pune’s rapid urban expansion, the association said that Pune Cantonment has become an inseparable and unavoidable part of the city’s road network. Citizens, it argued, naturally use the shortest and most efficient routes between destinations, many of which pass through cantonment areas. Blocking these roads, the association said, places an unfair and punitive burden on the public, forcing long detours, increasing congestion, and disrupting daily life.
The letter also cited explicit directions issued by the Directorate General Defence Estates (DGDE) on May 31, 2018, which reiterated compliance with earlier orders from Army Headquarters and the DGDE between May 21 and May 31, 2018. These directives clearly mandated the removal of all barriers, check posts, and roadblocks, prohibited the stopping or checking of vehicles, and instructed sentries to behave courteously and respectfully with civilians.
Further, PCCIWA referred to Section 258 of the Cantonment Act, 2006, and the Standard Operating Procedure framed by the Ministry of Defence. As per these provisions, no road passing through a cantonment—regardless of whether it is managed by the Military Engineering Services (MES), the Cantonment Board, or the Public Works Department—can be closed without following the prescribed legal process. Any closure carried out on assumptions or administrative convenience, the association said, is illegal and constitutes an offence.
The association also drew attention to directions issued by the Ministry of Defence after receiving a large number of complaints nationwide regarding hardships caused by road closures and the resulting wastage of national resources. These instructions were issued at the behest of then Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and the late Chief of Army Staff General Bipin Rawat. Gen Rawat had reportedly cautioned Army authorities that courts across the country have consistently held that the closure of public roads without legislative sanction violates the fundamental right to free movement under Article 19(1)(d) of the Constitution.
PCCIWA warned that similar road closures in other cantonments, including Ahmednagar (now Ahilyanagar), have already led to severe consequences. Residents there reportedly face daily hardships, with disruptions to milk and newspaper delivery, essential supplies, emergency services, and even postal delivery, with postmen allegedly being stopped from entering certain areas.
In light of these concerns, the association has urged Army authorities to immediately halt any further road closures, dismantle all illegal barricades and gates, and restore free and unhindered movement across Pune Cantonment roads. The letter expressed hope that corrective action would be taken urgently, in keeping with constitutional principles, legality, and mutual respect between civic authorities and citizens.
The residents have also written to the Pune Cantonment Board, the Defence Estates Officer, Pune Circle, and other concerned authorities for necessary action.
