Residents across Ranchi are raising serious safety concerns as thousands of streetlights remain non-functional throughout the city, creating hazardous conditions for evening commuters and pedestrians.
City Plunged Into Darkness
Major areas including Lalpur, Morabadi, Chiraundi, Kokar, and Kantatoli are experiencing either dim lighting or complete darkness after sunset. The problem has persisted for months despite repeated complaints from local residents.
The situation becomes particularly dangerous because these poorly lit roads are already compromised by potholes and open drains, creating what residents describe as a recipe for disaster in densely populated neighborhoods.
Residents Voice Their Fears
Dukhu Munda, a resident of Chiraundi, highlighted the severe conditions on the 3-kilometer stretch from Karamtoli Chowk to Chiraundi. "The road is full of potholes and constant traffic movement keeps dust perpetually in the air," Munda explained. "With most streetlights not working, it becomes extremely difficult to navigate by two-wheeler or four-wheeler after dusk. We cannot see the potholes in the dark, and stray dogs suddenly appearing before vehicles have caused accidents."
Puja Sharma from Kokar expressed similar concerns about the route from Lalpur Chowk to Kokar. "Traveling becomes scary at night, especially near the Distillery Pool area which remains completely dark. Even a couple of working streetlights would make a significant difference to our safety," she said.
Municipal Response and Complaint System
The Ranchi Municipal Corporation has acknowledged the problem and claims to be addressing it systematically. Suraj Prakash Choudhary, assistant administrator of RMC's lights section, stated that at least 25 teams are currently working to repair the city's streetlights.
"Our teams are continuously attending to complaints," Choudhary told media. "We have established a control room number - 9431104429 - and a connect centre number - 18005701235 where people can register their complaints regarding streetlights. All complaints are addressed within three days."
The official claimed that on average, the department receives 100 complaints and repairs 700 lights daily. However, with over 53,000 streetlights spread across 53 wards in the city, residents question whether these efforts are sufficient to address the scale of the problem.
The persistent darkness on Ranchi's streets continues to pose significant risks to public safety, leaving residents wondering when their neighborhoods will finally see the light.
