Palamu administration clears VUP for Ravan dahan in Daltonganj
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK Daltonganj, October 21: The Palamu administration on Tuesday temporarily removed a corrugated tin-sheet barricade blocking a vehicular underpass…
THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Daltonganj, October 21: The Palamu administration on Tuesday temporarily removed a corrugated tin-sheet barricade blocking a vehicular underpass (VUP) in Daltonganj to let devotees attending the Ravan Dahan programme at Shivaji Maidan pass through.
A private construction agency doing earthwork for the second concrete bridge over the Koel River, connecting Daltonganj and Shahpur, had blocked one end of the underpass with corrugated tin sheets and large quantities of earth. The arrangement was intended to protect the construction site from vehicular and pedestrian movement.
The underpass had reportedly remained closed to both vehicles and pedestrians for nearly a month. Its closure became a major concern ahead of Ravan Dahan, as it serves as an important access route to Shivaji Maidan, where the annual event is held.
Administration Steps In to Restore Public Access
Additional Collector Kundan Kumar said he visited the site early Tuesday morning and initially tried to persuade the construction agency to remove the barricade and the earth piled at the entrance.
According to Kumar, the agency appeared reluctant to act despite the limited time available to restore public movement through the underpass.
“We pressed in a JCB machine under the vigil of the local town police. The blockade was removed. There came no resistance,” Kumar said.
Administrative sources said Deputy Commissioner Dilip Pratap Singh Shekhawat had been concerned about ensuring access to Shivaji Maidan for the event.
Underpass to Reopen Ahead of Chhath
The administration is also looking ahead to Chhath, when large numbers of devotees are expected to visit the nearby ghats along the river.
Sources said the underpass would be kept open for four to five days ahead of Chhath, following the Deputy Commissioner’s instructions. The construction agency has been asked to ensure that its work does not unnecessarily obstruct public movement during major religious occasions.
The underpass is particularly important because the nearby immersion sites and the Ravan Dahan venue depend on the same access route for both vehicles and pedestrians.
Durga Puja Samiti Calls Event Challenging
Durga Johri, president of the Sri Kendriya Durga Puja Maha Samiti, said idol immersions and Ravan Dahan took place almost simultaneously on Tuesday evening.
“The event was peaceful but extremely challenging,” Johri said, pointing out that the immersion sites and the Ravan Dahan venue have only one common route for vehicles and pedestrians.
Some devotees also remarked that the Ravan effigy took longer than expected to burn, which they interpreted as an inauspicious sign.
