The city of Ranchi is grappling with a severe public safety crisis as a chaotic mesh of wires and cables dangles perilously from telephone and lamp posts across its neighborhoods. This tangled web poses a direct threat of accidents, electrocution, and injury to both residents and animals, creating an environment of constant risk.
A City Entangled in Wires
This infrastructural neglect manifests in multiple dangerous forms. Motorists and pedestrians navigate a labyrinth of hazards daily, with many tripping and falling after getting caught in the loose cables. The situation is equally perilous for the city's animals. In a recent incident in the Kanta Toli area, a cow became entangled in a dumped mesh of wires near a petrol pump, experiencing great pain until local residents intervened to free it. Such occurrences are reportedly common in various nooks and crannies of the city.
The danger is compounded by uncertainty. Many of the posts from which these wires hang have tilted dangerously against adjacent buildings. Residents have no information on whether these cables are live and carry electric currents, or if they are defunct telephone lines belonging to various telecom companies.
Daily Struggles for Residents and Shopkeepers
The impact on daily life is significant and widespread. In some areas, wires hang so low that they touch the head of an average-height person. Shopkeepers are feeling the direct economic impact of this negligence. Renu Devi, who runs a small grocery and vegetable stall in Lalpur, confirmed that customers sometimes fear coming to her shop due to the low-hanging wires directly outside.
Pedestrians are forced to abandon safety protocols. With entire footpaths blocked by fallen cables, people have no choice but to step onto the main road to avoid them, increasing the risk of traffic accidents. Sanjana Sandesh, a student of Ranchi Women's College, expressed her frustration, stating that walking on footpaths daily has become a pain as one must constantly be careful to avoid stepping on the hazardous cables.
Official Admission and Public Outcry
When confronted with the issue, the Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) acknowledged the problem but indicated a complex path to a solution. Sushant Gaurav, the RMC administrator, admitted that the jumbled mesh of wires is a perennial problem for the city. He described the task of removing them as a "herculean task" and a long-term project, citing the involvement of multiple agencies as a major hurdle.
"Getting all the agencies together, working out a solution and getting approval to get all the dangling and dumped wires removed is a herculean task," Gaurav stated, though he added that the corporation acts to clear such messes when they are brought to its attention.
Meanwhile, public demand for a resolution is growing. Dharamdev Gandhi, owner of a medicine shop in the busy Kanta Toli area, voiced the collective concern, urging, "This problem needs to be solved as soon as possible. The govt should think about the people, take a decision and do the needful immediately." The call for immediate action underscores the critical need to address this ongoing urban safety hazard.
