Ranchi: The streets are getting an aesthetic touch as the Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) has commissioned art installations made of scrap metal items.Under its ‘Waste to Wonder’ initiative, the civic body is breathing new life into junk metals and transforming them into street art at 10 major roundabouts across the state capital.They also represent a significant shift towards sustainable urban beautification by repurposing tonnes of iron and steel once destined for the furnace.RMC city manager Sandeep Kumar said, “Out of the 10 installations planned for the first stage, eight have been positioned to greet commuters and the final two expected to be unveiled soon.”The RMC has collaborated with two private firms to execute the engineering marvels. These artisans are utilising reclaimed materials, including chassis from decommissioned cars, defunct street light poles, from the RMC’s central junk yard besides metallic debris from the municipal godowns.Each individual sculpture weighs between 1.5 and 2 tonnes. To date, around 15 to 20 tonnes of scrap have been diverted from landfills and transformed into public art.Residents and visitors can admire these heavy-metal masterpieces at key landmarks, including Hatania Talab, Karamtoli Talab, Jail Talab, and the Naga Baba Vegetable Market.Other prominent sites featuring the works include Morabadi and Atal Vendor markets, Birsa Chowk, the Airport Road in Hinoo, and the Jaipal Singh Stadium.This initiative not only enhances the city’s visual appeal but also serves as a permanent testament to the possibilities of the circular economy within modern urban planning.
