Roads of the state capital largely bore deserted look on the first weekend of the unlock process despite stringent restrictions being either withdrawn or relaxed by the Jharkhand government. The three days of heavy rain left a large part of Ranchi precariously overflooded and people were more concerned to remove sludge out of their house and surroundings rather than enjoying the relaxations. Grocery shops and restaurants were open but the footfall was from negligible to nil. “The premise of my house got flooded and my bike too got submerged. Throughout the day I was cleaning the premises. I was looking for a mechanic to repair my bike. I was just trying to bring life back to order. My shop at Argora too got flooded,” said Sujeet Kumar, a native of Harmu.
There was less traffic on the road and the police patrolling teams were seen patrolling across Ranchi. Besides, there was regular deployment of police forces at chowks and major thoroughfares of the city capital.
“We are watchful that only such shops are opened for which permission has been granted. As per the order from 8 PM of Saturday to 6 AM on Monday morning only hotels, restaurants, grocery shops etc can be opened.
In the morning a few shops were opened which are otherwise restricted as per law,” said a police official. Patrolling around major water bodies like Kanke dam and Getalsud dam was also increased as it was apprehended that people may flock here to view water being discharged through sluice gates. Now the interstate bus services too have been allowed but it will take time for bus owners to roll-out their buses. Birsa Munda bus stand too remained empty except some parked buses.
“Bus owners and employees were severely hit by the lockdown. Since buses remained non-operational for many months, mechanical snags as well as accessories got damaged, said a bus owner. The offline classes for class ninth and above will start from Monday and most of the parents are apprehensive about the decision.
“At a time when the threat of a third wave is looming large, I don’t know who advised the Jharkhand government to open schools even if students have the option to choose either offline or online class. Children have not been vaccinated and given the seriousness of Covid 19 I will not send my daughter to school,” said homemaker Sabita Mishra of Kanke road whose daughter Ishika Mishra is a student of class 11th at a prestigious school of Ranchi.