Dangerous Bent Poles Threaten City Safety: Ranchi Residents at Risk

Different poles, including electric and traffic light posts, spread across the city, especially in major areas such as Circular Road, are dangerously bent and protruding towards the streets, shops or paths used by pedestrians, posing a grave risk to life.While taking a tour of Circular Road — from Kanta Toli Chowk to Jail More — multiple poles entangled with wires and the so-called smart traffic light posts fitted with LEDs were found to be dangerously bent in various directions — on roads, towards shops, and the paths used by pedestrians.In the Kumhartoli area, street number two, one post somehow holds on as most of its base has been corroded, in addition to the many ratholes surrounding it.It is just a matter of time before the post falls on someone or on the house located next to it. Another post was so burdened by the wire mesh that it bent towards the street.One of the electric poles, perhaps the most dangerous one, is located next to a juice shop, which is positioned diagonally opposite a mall, near the Dangratoli crossing. Initially, one might feel that the post was designed to give light in the middle of the road. However, a closer look at it narrates a different story. The base of the pole has been almost fully corroded, and only a small part is holding it. A thick mesh of wires running across the pole also weighs it down.According to the owner of the juice shop, Manoj Kumar Sau, an accident can happen any day.“I have personally registered a complaint related to the dangerous situation with the Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC), but no action has been taken. I fear that my customers may get hurt, besides the people using the road daily,” Sau told TOI.His shop is rented, and the owner of the shop, Prashant Kumar Soy, who lives next door, said, “I, too, have registered complaints with both the RMC and the electricity department. But nothing happened.”Similar posts can also be seen as one move towards the Lalpur Chowk, near a govt bank after crossing the chowk, and also near a jewellery showroom towards the Jail Road. One pole next to a shopping complex towards Jail More is also heavily bent.A student, Janki, who has been negotiating such bent poles, said, “I was thinking whether they will fall on me right now or not. There are big holes surrounding the bases of the poles, which are making them more unstable.”Speaking about the bent poles, RMC administrator Shushant Gaurav said, “On any routes or roads, if any of the poles, whether it is a pillar or an electric post, is bent, we will definitely look into the matter with immediate effect. If it belongs to the electricity department, we will get it done, or else we will do it from the RMC if there are no takers.”