Citizens of Ranchi were a happy lot when most of the city roads had wore a new look about a year ago with marked dividers, traffic markings and widened stretch. The smooth picture is telling a story of complete turnaround now!
Thanks to private and Government agencies, newly made roads of Circular road near Women College, at Maharaja Agarsen Chowk popularly known as lalpur Chowk near traffic signal, Kokar- lalpur lane, and at Jail More near JPSC office are mere a sordid display of potholes, ditches and trenches.
On the name of necessary works such as lying cables, pipelines, drainage construction or telephone and electricity-related works the city roads have been made ugly without necessary makeover and even promise to be repaired.
A resident of PN Bose Compound lalpur, Raju Singh explaining his ordeal with the abnormal constructed road near lalpur traffic signal said, “The road from lalpur Chowk leading towards Women College has a sudden rise of about a foot and that also on just half portion of the road. To reach office on time I usually be at a hurry and often drive at a speed of 45 km per hour. It is very dangerous for a motorist, especially in nights and makes the spot accident prone.”
Not only he but there are many other people who have witnessed the same scenario. Jail Chowk has been dug right in the middle for putting some electricity cables and left just soil-filled making available series of potholes to sink.
Cabling work of some private companies are also undergoing on several places such as on the Circular Road, lalpur to Kokar stretch and roads around RIMS. Entire soil out of the pit is left unattended for the motorists to take care off.
According to road construction officials the companies who dig roads for lying cables or pipelines have to first seek permission from the State Government and have to ensure that after the work completion the company will hand over the road back in the earlier condition.
Road Construction Department Chief Engineer Ram Naresh Raman explaining the legal provision against the company for violation of law said, “If any company fails to keep his word and leave the city road with potholes the Department slaps a heavy fine or file an FIR against the company.”
looking at the woes of the people Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) Deputy Mayor Sanjeev Vijayvargiya had even called a meeting with the officials of some private companies and had asked them to wind up their work soon.
“Mayor has instructed that the digging up of roads should not continue for more than 48 hours and after construction of roads in case of any fault the company has to repair the road within 24 hours. We have assure him that by the end of this year will wind up our cable laying work and will fill up the ditches too,” said a company official.
Nevertheless the technicalities, the practice goes unabated and makes common citizen frustrated on the condition of roads as there is nobody to ensure whether the damaged part has been repaired properly or not.