A balmy winter sun peers down through a lush green foliage crowning the avenue. The 30-km Ranchi-Kunti Road offers a lavish journey. Cars automatically gather speed as the levelled road shines like graphite under the wheels. Small and beckoning restaurants dotting the road entice the city traveller to rest for a while, away from the maddening crowd.

Travelling via Khuti-Basia-Kolebira Road it?s time to snap out from the gentle reverie. Even the boldest drivers don?t dare to travel on this bumpy 130-km stretch after sunset. Though there are a few brave dhabas and restaurants along the stretch, they are not enough. And there is hardly any possibility for any more eateries to come up in the near future due to the absence of interested customers.

It is almost frightening to travel on the 75-km stretch that leads to Chiria, which incidentally has the biggest iron-ore reserve in Asia. In fact, the rich deposits in Chiria inspired London-based steel czar L.M. Mittal to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Munda government. He chose this plateau to open his first Indian unit. Mittal himself landed in Ranchi with his family members in a lavish aircraft equipped with five-star facilities last month, to sign the MoU. But, alas, his officials and workers will have to take the Ranchi-Khunti-Kolebira-Manoharpur Road to reach Manoharpur and Chiria,their destinations to set up and run a the modern steel plant. As I recently travelled on this stretch, it?s my duty to share some tips with Mittal?s men.

Before anything they should embark on a strict fitness regime, aimed particularly at strengthening their back, as the ubiquitous craters and potholes will greet them, at regular intervals, from Kolebira to Manoharpur. They should adapt themselves to travel on an empty stomach for the stretch offers very few places to eat. Of course, if they are used to quality liquor they should forget about it and get used to hadia for the road offers hadia sold by tribal women in stained vessels at regular intervals. Also carry mechanics, necessary tools and accessories for the road does not have a single motor-repair shop. And yes, credit and debit cards won?t work. They should carry notes to pay the rangdari tax. For you will encounter many groups of lathi, axe and bow-and-arrow wielding youths, stopping cars and forcing travellers to cough up money as they cross Bano, a jungle village.

Finally, after you reach Manoharpur or Chiria do not, and I repeat do not, think of relaxing, for the places don?t offer a single hotel. If you begin the journey from Ranchi in the morning you will reach Manoharpur in the evening. You will hardly get enough sleep inside the car or on the road. But any idea of getting back the same day should be brushed aside, as remember you are a ?class enemy? of the CPI (Maoist) rebels who have established their rule in all the jungle villages along the Kolebira-Bano-Manoharpur stretch and believe in ?mass annihilation of class enemies? theory?. So, no travelling after dark.

Though Arjun Munda, has offered Mittal group all bureaucratic cooperation, investment-friendly atmosphere besides 12,000-hectare in Chiria and Manoharpur to set up his unit, Mittal?s men must know that Munda?s rule does not exist in Chiria, Manoharpur or for that matter any part of the Saranda jungle. Maoists have converted this region into a ?guerrilla zone? with their armed squads ruling the roost. Mittal?s men should not believe the government?s announced plan to acquire land and ?rehabilitate? villagers who will be displaced in the process for they will hear the loud slogan: ?Hum nahin denge apna jal, zameen aur jungle? (We will not part with our water, land and forests)? from each and every village of Chiria and Manoharpur. Mittal may have befriended Munda. But he may not find other Mundas, Hos, Oraons, Asurs and Pahadias as friendly at the grassroots.