Ram Navami and Sarhul organisers worried over broken roads, dust

Ranchi: The ongoing flyover construction in different parts of the city, coupled with the busy streets which have been dug up for laying underground water supply pipelines but have not been repaired since, could pose hazards to the thousands of Sarhul and Ram Navami revellers who are expected to hit the roads with colourful processions this year, organisers have said.With Sarhul two days away, the Kendriya Sarna Samiti (KSS) had urged the Ranchi district administration during its peace committee meeting on April 9 to remove construction equipment and rubble from flyover construction sites and relay black top on the broken roads which have been dug up for pipeline work. “The officials who were present at the meeting had taken note of our concerns and had assured that they will be addressed. But so far, not much initiative is being seen on the ground,” Bablu Munda, president of KSS, told TOI on Tuesday.“Commuting daily through Kokar and Circular Road in Lalpur is hell these days as stone dust, which was used to fill in the surface of the roads which were dug up to lay pipelines, keeps flying. It causes a burning sensation in the nose, choking feeling in the windpipes while one drives. With thousands dancing away in the processions, one can very well imagine what the scene would look like,” Asha Khalko, a Kokar resident who takes part in Sarhul processions every year, said.Rajiv Ranjan Mishra (Chunnu), president of Mahavir Mandal in Ranchi Lake (Bada Talab) area, also echoed Munda’s concerns. “Broken roads could lead to accidents and we are very concerned about the condition of the roads in Ranchi. Lakhs of devotees take part in Ram Navami festivities each year. All our akhadas are huddling on April 12 for a meeting and we will collect the reports of the patchwork of roads done in their respective localities and procession routes. Based on the report, we would contact the administration and urge them to expedite work.Notably, the Jharkhand Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (JUIDCO), which is laying water pipelines in the city, commenced patchwork of Circular Road last week.
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