Funds to the tune of Rs.18 crore have been allocated by the Urban Development Department for construction of roads in areas falling under Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC), officials from the civic body said on Saturday
Ranchi Deputy Mayor Sanjeev Vijaywargia said that the funds have been distributed among all the 53 ward councillors for constructing roads in areas under their respective wards. The Mayor and Deputy Mayor have also been allocated funds for construction of roads where they find necessary, he added.
Each of the ward councillors in Ranchi have received a fund of at least Rs.5 lakh for constructing roads wherever they find necessary. The fund will also be used for repair of existing roads and laying of drainage systems.
“Distributing the funds among ward councillors decentralizes the process of road construction. It also ensures that every ward of the city gets at least one new road,” said Vijaywargia, adding that road construction will improve accessibility to many areas within the city limits.
Several roads in the State capital were left in dilapidated condition after monsoon, and were in dire need of repair, RMC officials said. The drainage system also needs to be improved in some areas of the city that witnessed waterlogging during monsoon.
Owing to poor drainage system, many roads in the city, especially the part of VIP road connecting Argora Chowk to Shehjanand Chowk, witnessed severe waterlogging. Some parts of the road connecting Argora Chowk to Kathal More also witnessed waterlogging that disrupted daily life of residents.
A majority of road construction works under this initiative will begin within the next six months, sources said. According to RMC sources, tenders have also been floated for construction of roads in Argora, Pundag and areas close to the Pahadi Mandir premises.
However, there was no fixed length of roads that had to be constructed within the city limits. An RMC official, requesting anonymity, said that the idea was to improve road connectivity in areas that are in need of new roads, and there is no project aimed at constructing a set length of roads in the city.
The RMC recently distributed laptops among all the ward councillors in the city to encourage use of digital means in approving projects and sharing updates related to the status of various works done under RMC. Details of all the road construction projects undertaken in the city will also be shared online with concerned authorities by the ward councillors.
