If you are among the many occupying the slabs covering drains and using the places for business purpose then it is a piece of news that would bother you. The Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) has decided to make the slabs encroachment free.
Acting on the advice of Madhukar Gupta, Advisor to the Governor the RMC has taken this decision.It’s not unique for the city only, the site of the shopkeepers — regular or thelawalas — occupying the slabs that cover the drains and use them for commercial purposes. But if everything goes as per plans, they (shopkeepers and thelawalas) will disappear from these slabs.
The purpose is threefold. First, let some civic sense prevail (at least be seen) in an “unplanned city” like Ranchi. Second, cleanse and channelise the “incomprehensive drainage system” of the city before monsoon. And third, to add some free spaces to ease out ever jammed traffic in Ranchi.
“Once you let people come to your territory they will grab everything of yours. And as far as sarkari space is concerned they are more interested in encroaching it. But there is no sense in allowing the sarkari space to be used by private businessmen for business purposes,” said Shailendra Kumar lal, Dy. Administrator of RMC.
A team comprising security personnel, engineers, magistrates, labourers and A2Z people has been constituted. The anti-encroachment (of slabs over drains) operations will start from today (Wednesday). On the first day of the operation Harmoo bypass road will be covered. Then the team will visit in Main Road area on Thursday.
The RMC had given such shopkeepers a deadline till Tuesday evening to remove their belongings from the slabs.
“First the shopkeepers will be warned. Then the defaulters will be will be then fined a sum of Rs. 5,000 as maximum penalty,” said Deepankar Panda, RMC Administrator.
The drains and slabs covering them are invariably occupied by shopkeepers, thelawalaas and other small businessmen. In Church Road area encroachment of slabs (on both sides of road) has squeezed the road into a narrow strip of width eight to 10ft. The road actually measures around 20ft (width). And there are many such examples in the city.
“If these slabs are made free of encroachments the plying width of the roads will be increased. The road will come into its original width. It will ease the traffic out. And regular brawls that you see in the area among businessmen for using the spaces over slabs can also be controlled,” said Shamima Khatoon, whose scooty was badly jammed in the traffic the “squeezed Church Road” Tuesday afternoon.
The RMC will also identify the shops dumping their waste items in drains. “A maximum of Rs. 5,000 can be sapped on them,” Panda said.