BJP’s Kanke MLA Samri Lal on Wednesday made a surprise visit of Vidyapatinagar on Kanke Road, ward 2 of Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC), where residents have been crying hoarse for the past two years over waterlogging.

Vidyapatinagar, with a population of 10,000, is barely 1.5km from the CM’s residence.

The MLA said he wanted to visit the place in a low-key way to check out the situation. “During campaigning, I had visited this locality and seen the pathetic condition of this area that remains flooded as the drainage has no proper outfall. Residents had told me the locality is a breeding ground of mosquitoes. Today was my first visit here after my win,” said the MLA.

Resident Arun Mishra said the MLA stayed for around an hour to discuss the problems. “Drainage and sewerage accumulates on vacant land. Without outfall, this dirty water stands and the entire stretch gets flooded,” Mishra said.

Before the Assembly polls, residents had threatened to boycott the polls over waterlogging. Bhartendu Kumar Jha, another local resident said that thrice in the past, residents had protested angrily against the RMC for its apathy. “The RMC will build a drain, we’re told, but when?”

On Wednesday, MLA Lal told residents that he, as one of the board members of the RMC, would raise the matter at the board meeting to be held any time after January 20.

RMC health officer Dr Kiran Kumari said the drainage of the colony would be linked with neighbouring Gandhinagar Colony. She promised that the construction work would start this month.