Ranchi Municipal Corporation launches Safai Toh Hokar Rahegi 4.0 cleanliness campaign ahead of festivals

Ranchi: The Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) rolled out its special cleanliness campaign, Safai Toh Hokar Rahegi 4.0, on Sunday in the run-up to the festival season.The civic body has promised stricter enforcement of waste rules, repairs to roads near pandals, and improved street lighting across the city.Additional municipal administrator Sanjay Kumar led field inspections with senior officials, zonal supervisors and Swachhata Corporation staff.Teams visited neighbourhoods and pandal areas, checking waste collection and cleanliness.Action was taken against violators, a fine of Rs 5,000 was imposed on an individual for dumping construction material in a public place, and penalty was slapped on a housing complex located on Kanke Road.“This time, no compromise will be made. Cleanliness has to be visible in every lane and around every pandal,” Kumar told reporters during the drive.He directed engineers to repair damaged approach roads and ordered ward-wise teams to fix defunct street lights before the festivals.The RMC has also deployed 30 drivers and two earth movers to strengthen door-to-door waste collection. Officials said the move was aimed at ensuring garbage does not pile up during the peak festive rush.But residents voiced doubts about the campaign’s impact.“Drives come and go, but the drain near our house in Kokar still overflows every monsoon. Puja cleaning won’t fix that,” said homemaker Sangeeta Devi.“They impose fines for littering, but regular waste pickup is still patchy. Without consistency, this is just a seasonal exercise,” a shopkeeper In Lalpur, Rajesh Kumar, said.With the festive season barely weeks away, RMC faces the challenge of turning its public promise into lasting improvements that go beyond pre-festival optics.RMC has also formed an engineering team to inspect pandals and surrounding areas ahead of Durga Puja. Officials said the teams are checking potholes, drains, crowd entry-exit points, and encroachments, while also coordinating with puja committees for requirements. Inspections on Sunday covered Booty Basti, Kokar Chowk, Netaji Nagar, and other major sites.“We want devotees to celebrate in a safe, clean environment,” Kumar added.But again, the residents argued festival-time patchwork is short-lived.“The real issue is year-round upkeep, not temporary fixes,” a shopkeeper at Lalpur, Rajesh Kumar, said.