Ranchi road repairs will be carried out around the clock ahead of Diwali, Kali Puja and Chhath, with the Jharkhand Road Construction Department directing engineers to make key routes, bridges and allied infrastructure safe for the expected increase in festive movement across the state.
The department has instructed all divisions to ensure that departmental roads, arterial routes and feeder roads remain smooth and traffic-worthy during the festive period. Principal secretary Sunil Kumar said the measures were necessary because large numbers of devotees and members of the public were expected to travel for the festivals.
Repair schemes have been sanctioned under non-scheme heads, in addition to regular road projects, while discretionary funds have been released directly to divisions. According to the report, the move is intended to prevent financial bottlenecks from delaying urgent work before the festivals.
Special attention has been given to stretches connecting major Kali Puja pandals, immersion sites and Chhath ghats. Officials have been asked to ensure that these routes are free of potholes and meet prescribed technical specifications. Field teams have also been instructed to remove sharp gravel, debris and other surface irregularities because many Chhath worshippers walk barefoot for long distances while carrying offerings.
The department has directed field officers to carry out ground-level inspections and take immediate remedial action within their jurisdictions. Officials must also prepare diversion plans for emergencies, supported by prominent signboards, retro-reflective indicators and suitable road-safety furniture along detour routes.
Kumar warned that officers would be held personally accountable for compromises in the execution of repair works and that disciplinary action could follow. The directive places responsibility on divisional and field-level officials to identify unsafe stretches and complete corrective work before peak festival movement.
The road-repair order comes as the department reviews delays affecting several projects, particularly in Ranchi. The review identified land acquisition, utility shifting and procedural formalities as factors slowing road widening and reconstruction schemes. Kumar directed officials to divide works into phased segments wherever land is available, allowing construction to proceed while outstanding acquisition issues are addressed.
He also asked officials to coordinate with district administrations and land acquisition officers to clear project bottlenecks. In letters to deputy commissioners, the principal secretary sought regular joint reviews with the Road Construction Department. The department has said that delays involving land acquisition and forest land diversion are affecting road widening and reconstruction works and contributing to cost overruns.
The immediate priority is to complete repairs on festival routes, improve safety on designated diversions and finish pending projects within their deadlines, particularly in the state capital.
