Ranchi: The residents of ward 52 of the Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) have been battling various civic issues, including overhead electrical wires running dangerously close to homes and the absence of street lights, which pose safety concerns and restrict residents, especially women, from moving freely after dark.The residents flagged the dangerously hanging overhead electrical wires as one of the most pressing issues. In several localities, loose and sagging cables criss-cross narrow lanes, posing a constant threat of electrocution, especially during the monsoon.
The ward includes Lower Hatia, Upper Hatia, Hatia, Patel Nagar, Ekta Nagar, Garhwari, Birsa Chowk, Oberia Road, Latma and Hesag, among other areas.Pradeep Oraon, a resident of Oberia Road, said that the overhead electrical wires often get caught on large vehicles passing through the area, creating a risk of mishaps.“However, luckily, no such incident happened yet. The municipal corporation, although ordered last year to streamline the dangling wires across the city, neglected the area, and the problem continues to remain unsolved. The residents hope to get the issue solved this time,” Oraon added.In many inner areas in the ward, the absence of street lights continues to add to the woes of the residents, making movement difficult and unsafe. Kiran Kumari, a resident of Hatia railway colony, said that the lack of lighting led to a rise in fear and insecurity among women, elderly residents and children. “After dark, we feel insecure stepping out, even for essential work, which hampers our daily life. Many young women who return late from work or tuition are also in fear due to the situation,” Kiran said.The situation is further aggravated by poorly maintained internal roads and inadequate drainage in some areas, which worsen during the rainy season. Munna Lohar, a councillor candidate for ward 52, said that apart from the issues raised by the residents, many people in the area are yet to be covered by the govt schemes. “As I am stepping in for the campaigning, and focusing on raising awareness about the schemes, I will try to resolve the issues if I manage to win the seat,” Lohar added.As per population census 2011, the ward has 26,561 residents with 4,952 number of houses
