Team India captain MS Dhoni’s residence, one of the most prominent landmarks of Harmu

We're here - Harmu Housing Colony in Ranchi

Civic guardians Councillors Shibu Tigga (ward No. 37) and Pradeep Agrawal (ward No. 29)

Landmarks Residence of Team India captain and local lad Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Harmu crematorium, Harmu ground (Bada Maidan), Jharkhand State Housing Board's office, state headquarters of BJP, district headquarters of Jharkhand Home Guard, Sahajanand Chowk, Allahabad Bank, Imli Chowk, Kunwar Singh Chowk, Patel Park, Sahajanand Park and residential quarters of Jharkhand High Court staff referred to as high court colony in local parlance

Area: 6sqkm (approx.)

The Harmu rivulet that gave the locality its name

First impression: Picture of urban growth where large, developed residential areas rub shoulders with settlements like Saket Nagar, Bhatta Mohalla, Dhela Toli, Tungri Tola, Harmu Basti, Vidya Nagar and Ram Nagar, among others

People profile: A motley crowd of 25,000 people from various communities reside in about 5,000 concrete roof government and private houses. Advocates, doctors, government officials, journalists, teachers, contractors and police officers — you will find them all. The languages spoken are as myriad — Hindi, Bhojpuri, Maithili, Bangla, Magahi, Rajasthani and Sadri. What’s unique is the local bonding. Everyone knows everyone, almost

Notables: Sports stars like M.S. Dhoni and veteran member of Indian hockey team Sylvanus Dungdung, retired air vice marshal Yash Kumar, artists Amitabh Mukherjee, Jharkhand Olympic Association treasurer Madhukant Pathak, chief executive officer of Ranchi Municipal Corporation and managing director of Jharkhand State Housing Board Vinay Kumar Choubey, retired JET chairman Justice L.P.N. Shahdeo and retired information commissioner Baij Nath Mishra

Overflowing drains are a common sight at Harmu Housing Colony

Realty tag: Jharkhand State Housing Board provides land at the rate of Rs 625 per square feet while market prices vary from Rs 1,266 to Rs 2,100 per square feet. Two or three BHK flats are available on rent at Rs 5,000 to Rs 7,000 per month. For sale, the same are up for grabs for Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000 per square feet

What’s in a name: The locality owes its name to the Harmu rivulet that passes through the northern part of the colony. Harmu is actually derived from two Mundari words — haram that means shrubs and harmurung that stands for burrow of Dhamin snakes that were found in good numbers before the Harmu Housing Colony came into existence in 1960.

Trouble-spotting: Plying of heavy vehicles in residential areas during no-entry hours, overflowing drains, waterlogged roads during monsoon, construction materials spilling on to streets, stray dogs unleashing terror at night, dark stretches in absence of street lights, encroachments on government land and poor infrastructure at police outposts

Pet peeve: Overflowing drains, unauthorised constructions, no tenant verifications and lack of police patrolling

Silver lining: The locality’s education scenario improved a lot after buses of all schools started passing through it. Several private, government and play schools have also been set up. On the cleanliness front, things have slightly bettered with the entry of A2Z. But it’s not enough

Top issues

For haves: Garbage, bad roads, no street lights and absence of market complexes

For have-nots: Delay in getting old-age pension and BPL cards, and a laggard public distribution system

Residentspeak

“It is a good place to stay as the main market, airport, railway station, bus stand and good schools are nearby. Apart from this, there is harmony among the local residents. Birsa Munda Raj Path also passes through it,” said Subodh Kumar

Jha (32), an employee of pharmaceutical company, who has been staying in the area since his childhood

Authorityspeak

“I receive complaints from poor people almost everyday that their elderly family members are not getting old-age pensions regularly. Also, many are yet to get BPL cards. Residents of the colony rue about piled-up garbage, unclean drains and absence of streetlights. Though efforts are being made, a lot needs to be done,” claimed ward commissioner Shibu Tigga

Compiled by Raj Kumar and pictures by Hardeep Singh