Installation of 110 streetlights on Jugsalai overbridge begins

JAMSHEDPUR: For Mohan Kumar of Jugsalai it was nothing short of a moment to celebrate on Saturday evening when state health and disaster management minister Banna Gupta formally inaugurated the work to install street lights on Jugsalai road overbridge (ROB).
Kumar who has a shop in Jugsalai market and is a third generation resident of the area, said street lights on the bridge were a necessity both for safe and smooth movement of traffic and pedestrians.He said the bridge over rail tracks was inaugurated by chief minister Hemant Soren on January 31 but street lights had not been installed then.
Like Kumar, Sitaram Sahu, who too resides in Jugsalai and runs a shop there pointed out that even after the construction of the bridge he used to stay away from using it after dark as there were no lights and he did not feel safe to drive on it. Now, after the light installation work has started he can use it even at night.
The minister said as many as 110 street lights would be installed on the bridge which will be enough to illuminate the entire stretch of 1.2km-long bridge connecting Bistupur end to Jugsalai end.
Banna Gupta added that the demand for a ROB in the area first came up in the 1970s from the residents of the area as they had to cross a manned-railway level crossing to reach Bistupur and other areas of Steel City. As more than 150 passenger and goods trains pass through the level crossing everyday, the gates were often found closed causing great difficulties for lakhs of people residing in Jugsalai, Rajnagar and Bagbera areas. Jugsalai being the wholesale market of the city, situation during the peak hours would become worse when the railway gates were closed due to train movements, recollected Kajal Kumari, a housewife, who has to use that road at least four times a day to pick up and drop her children from a Circuit House Area-based private school.
She said after the bridge was opened this year, kids can reach schools on time. Kajal said after lights are installed travelling after dark will not be a problem. She added using the bridge in daytime was not an issue but late at night when traffic goes down many women like her now feel unsafe to use that stretch due to safety reasons. She hoped that the work on the installation of lights is completed soon so that women commuting on it feel safe.
Jamshedpur MP Bidyut Baran Mahato, who was also present at the inauguration, said the facility was a joint effort of the Centre and state governments. He was confident that after lights are installed more people will use the bridge. Local MLA from Jugsalai Mangal Kalindi also present there said an amount of 48 lakh has been sanctioned for the installation of lights. However, he could not give a time frame for the project completion.