Ranchi, Mar 17 : The Adivasi community has called for a Ranchi bandh on Tuesday (March 18, 2025) to protest against the acquisition of land for the construction of a ramp connected to the Siromtoli-MECON flyover bridge, officials said.
On Monday evening, members of the tribal community took out a procession urging locals to support the bandh. The protest is part of ongoing opposition to land acquisition in the area.
In a previous demonstration on January 22, 2025, tribal residents blocked traffic at Siromtoli Chowk, demanding that the Road Construction Department (RCD) reverse its decision to acquire land belonging to the Sarna Sthal for the Siromtoli Chowk-MECON Chowk flyover project.
Records show that the RCD had already acquired 14 ft of land last year for the ramp and is now seeking another 10 ft. Expressing concerns over the move, Nisha Oraon, a demonstrator, said, “The Sarna Sthal is a sacred place for us. Every year, thousands participate in the processions taken out during Sarhul. Further acquisition of land will lead to a space crunch for us.”
The 2.3 km-long Siromtoli-MECON flyover project, which includes an elevated road and a cable-stayed bridge, is scheduled to open for commuters this March at a total cost of Rs 340 crore.
In response to the protests, the Ranchi administration assured tribal representatives of a discussion. ADM (Law and Order) Rajeshwar Alok said, “We will sit with their representatives and find out a solution to this.”
Meanwhile, traffic congestion has returned to the Kantatoli-Bahubazar stretch of Paramhansa Yogananda Path, following the Jharkhand Urban Infrastructure Development Corporation’s (JUIDCO) piling work for two ramps of the Kantatoli flyover. The ramps are designed to descend at Khadgarha bus stand and Kantatoli Chowk.
Several commuters have voiced frustration over road conditions in the area. Mohammad Shahid, an e-rickshaw operator who plies on the Kantatoli-Ranchi railway station route, said, “The road was broken for two years, all the while the construction was carried out. A fresh blacktop was laid just in haste as the political dispensation was eager to open the flyover before the election. Now, the roads have been dug up again and commuters are facing problems.”
Addressing concerns about the ramp construction delay, Ashutosh Kumar Singh, Public Relations Officer of JUIDCO, clarified, “Ramps were part of the original flyover project and could not be constructed at one go. The work has started and it will be finished within three months.”
Further discussions between the authorities and protestors are expected as the situation develops.
