Ranchi Municipal Corporation wants to cover open drains with a combination of concrete slabs and steel mesh to prevent tragedies like the death of a four-year-old girl in Hindpiri last month. The task is a mammoth one, because a survey has found that uncovered drains comprise more than half of the total length of drains in the city.

Deputy mayor Sanjeev Vijayvargiya said the corporation would send a proposal to the state urban development for funds to cover drains.

“We had conducted a survey of the open drains and have decided to immediately start the process of covering the drains. While the drains will be covered using concrete slabs, steel mesh will be placed at a distance of over 20 feet to make it possible for staff to remove the mesh and clean the drains and remove garbage to prevent clogging. We hope to get the nod of the state urban development soon so that work can be undertaken at the earliest,” the deputy mayor said.

RMC sources said they were trying to get the nod of the government for budgetary allocation and issue of work order before October so that it is not stuck when the model code of conduct for the Assembly polls, scheduled later this year, kicks in.

The survey, which had been undertaken by a group of college students and completed in June, found that more than 50 per cent of the drains are uncovered.

“Of the total length of 14,01,808.13 metres of drains in all the wards maintained by the RMC, 8,44,112.76 metres are uncovered. Only 5,57,390.56 metres (of drains) are covered in the city. Around 2,48,701.57 metres are kuchcha drains and 16,96,275.4 metres are pucca drains,” said a member of the engineering wing of the RMC.

The deputy mayor said the survey had identified several critical (mishap-prone) points.

“We have identified over 40 such critical points in the uncovered drains in residential localities in all the 53 wards, which would be covered on a priority basis. Those drains whose width are quite big will be barricaded using bamboo poles for the time being till they are covered with concrete slabs and steel mesh,” Vijayvargiya added.

Falak Akhtar, the girl who died in Hindpiri on July 24, had fallen into an open drain in ward number 23 of Nala Road.

“We have already published tender for covering the drain and widening of the road on Nala Road yesterday (Thursday) at an estimated cost of Rs 44 lakh,” said an RMC source. “It will be completed in 120 days.”