Jalandhar Cantt residents staged a protest recently and met the CEO of Cantonment Board to hand over a memorandum. Residents submitted a memorandum to the Station Commander and CEO of the Cantonment Board, urging the reopening of Shivaji Road, Guru Nanak Road, and Subhash Road.
In their memorandum, they also demanded to stop the four-hour shut down of Mall Road for walking, claiming it is being done without following the prescribed procedure.
The memorandum outlined Section 122 of the Cantonments Act, 2006 and the corresponding provisions of the 1924 Act, stating that all streets and roads vest in and belong to the Cantonment Board, which has full management and control over them.
It also references the 1998 Karnataka High Court judgment, upheld by the Supreme Court, which ruled that closing roads without legal justification violates citizens’ fundamental right to freedom of movement under Article 19(1)(d) of the Constitution.
Residents has accused that the closure of Shivaji Road was done without any Board resolution and in violation of the Ministry of Defence’s SOP of 4 September 2018, which requires public notification, consideration of objections, and final approval before any road closure.
The memorandum also highlights the hardship faced by girl students and female staff of BD Arya Girls College, who have lost multiple approach routes over time and are now forced to take lengthy alternative routes.
Residents have warned that if the roads are not reopened by 79th Independence Day, they will begin daily two-hour dharnas from 18 August 2025 at various cantonment locations.