Ranchi: With the monsoon expected to arrive in the state by mid-June, the Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) has initiated a comprehensive preparedness campaign across the city on an urgent basis. The civic body’s priority list includes desilting clogged drains, constructing new drainage systems, pruning trees, and intensifying fogging operations to curb vector-borne diseases.
Drainage and Road Repairs
“We are fully prepared for the monsoon. Drainage construction has been completed in several areas and is progressing rapidly in others. Simultaneously, road repair work is underway to ensure that potholes do not trouble commuters once the rains arrive. We are confident that waterlogging will be significantly reduced this season,” said Sanjay Kumar, RMC’s additional administrator.
The civic body has adopted a stratified approach to manage the vast drainage network based on the size of the drains. Kiran Kumari, assistant public health officer of RMC, stated, “We have already completed two extensive rounds of desilting around 30 large drains across the city using machinery. A final round of cleaning will be carried out just before the monsoon. Work on medium and smaller internal drains is also progressing simultaneously.”
Workforce and Quick Response Teams
RMC has deployed a dedicated workforce of 1,200 personnel for drain cleaning, supported by a fleet of heavy machinery. “Soon, dedicated quick response teams (QRTs) will be formed to handle emergency waterlogging situations during the monsoon,” Kumari added.
The corporation has also identified areas where waterlogging has been severe in previous years. In addition to constructing new drains, work is underway to improve old, dilapidated, or non-functional drainage systems. Construction of seven drains has been completed, 19 projects are in progress, and contracts for 12 additional drains have been awarded.
Tree Pruning and Safety Measures
Safety hazards from overhead trees are being managed by the corporation’s horticulture wing to prevent casualties during squalls. Following an intensive drive in May, tree pruning was completed at 139 locations, and 46 dead or dangerously leaning trees were removed. A roster-based action plan has been mapped out for June and July, identifying 12 major transit corridors and vulnerable zones for continuous monitoring.
Health Preparedness and Fogging
On the health front, RMC has stepped up its anti-larval operations. Fogging has been increased from two daily shifts to three. “We are using a mix of thermal and cold fogging techniques. Since the anti-larvae chemical remains effective for three days, our rotation ensures every ward is covered twice a week. By mid-June, we will scale up operations by launching door-to-door larvicidal surveillance,” Kumari said.
