The under-construction bus terminus at Khadgarha in Ranchi on Monday. Picture by Hardeep Singh

Elections come and go. So do governments. But Ranchi’s biggest bus stand remains as it is — filthy and smelly with the recent additions of half-complete concrete structures, mounds of sand, bricks and stone chips.

One of the most ambitious projects of the state capital, the Rs 10-crore makeover of Birsa Munda inter-state bus terminus at Khadgarha seems to be stuck in time, having already missed one deadline and making little headway since then.

After Governor Syed Ahmed laid the foundation of the project on May 29 last year during the President’s rule, the beleaguered stand hoped to shed its “filth and dust” image and emerge all swanky and passenger-friendly within 18 months.

In June this year, Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) CEO Manoj Kumar embarked on a photo-op-inspection of the site and claimed to have solved all bottlenecks. He even went a step ahead and announced an unrealistic Independence Day deadline for the launch of the all-new bus stand.

But between June and October, work has barely progressed with the officials of RS Aggarwal Infratech Pvt. Ltd, which has been entrusted with the bus stand’s civil construction, listing the hurdles.

“First, the high tension wire of 1,100 volt, which passes over the new building, is yet to be removed as promised earlier. As a result, vertical expansion of the terminal building is stalled. Secondly, encroachments on the eastern side of the site are yet to be removed. Thirdly, there ought to be a 40-feet boundary wall for a parking area proposed for cars, but the space belongs to public health engineering wing that’s under drinking water and sanitation department. Unless, officials are serious about solving these issues, nothing can be done,” said an official.

Taking a dig at Jharkhand’s culture of delay, he added: “Just imagine, every government is making big claims but in the past 14 years, we have not been able to come up with one bus stand in the state capital. I don’t have any words to express how common people suffer while taking buses for inter and intra-state travel. For us, it is very frustrating to work as the delay is only adding to our losses.”

So, why are they not pulling out of the project?

“We wished we could have done it, but we are genuinely here to work for public interest provided the government machinery allows us to,” he remarked, adding they were now planning to give final touches to whatever civil work is over and push off by March next year.

At present, two-third of the G+1 building has come up while other facilities like dormitories, parking, cafeteria and so on are yet to get started.

When contacted, RMC CEO Kumar maintained that all was fine and work was progressing well.

“Sab galat baat kar rahe hain. Hum ne khud jake sara problems solve karwa diya tha. (They are lying. I personally got all problems solved),” he claimed.

As the never-ending blame game goes on, commuters can only keep their fingers crossed and pray that the project does not remain on paper only.