Ranchi Municipal Polls: Candidates Face Uphill Battle with Non-Functional Elevators
As the Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) elections approach, aspiring candidates are flocking to the district collectorate to purchase nomination forms and voter lists. However, they are encountering a persistent problem that has plagued the building for some time: non-functional elevators.
Staircase Struggles for Mayoral Hopefuls
Candidates vying for the prestigious RMC mayor's post are finding their political journey beginning with a physical challenge. They are compelled to climb four flights of stairs in the B-block of the collectorate to collect their nomination forms. One mayoral candidate, speaking anonymously, highlighted the additional hardships.
"After the exhausting climb to the fourth floor, there isn't even a glass of water available to quench your thirst. Although a water cooler is present on that floor, it remains broken. We are stepping forward to serve the public, but the path to even file our nominations is proving to be unexpectedly difficult," the candidate revealed.
Widespread Accessibility Issues Across Wards
The accessibility problem extends beyond the mayoral race. In the A-block of the same collectorate building, where nomination forms for ward councillors across all 53 RMC wards are being distributed, a similar situation prevails. Candidates for wards 31 to 41 must reach the second floor, while those for wards 42 to 53 need to access the third floor. In both cases, the only available option is to use the staircases.
Dinesh Kumar Gupta, an aspiring candidate, expressed his frustration with the poor facilities. "The conditions in the collectorate building are severely inadequate. Visitors, including candidates, are forced to use the stairs to reach upper floors, often while carrying heavy bundles of important documents," he stated.
Gupta further emphasized the scale of the issue, noting, "As the central hub of district administration, the collectorate witnesses thousands of visitors daily. All of them are left to endure this significant inconvenience."
Official Response and Temporary Measures
In response to the concerns, Sudesh Kumar, the Nazarat Deputy Collector, provided an explanation. He clarified that the elevator is not merely non-functional but has been deliberately suspended due to ongoing installation work for a new lift system.
"The lift will be operational within the next 15 days. Until then, visitors are experiencing some temporary inconvenience. Regarding water facilities, the building is equipped with sufficient water taps to meet everyone's needs," Kumar assured.
This situation underscores the challenges faced by electoral candidates even before the official campaign begins, highlighting infrastructure issues at a critical government office during a significant democratic process.
