Highmast lamps near the chief minister’s residence on Kanke road have been non-functional for several days. Picture by Prashant Mitra

Ranchi, Sept. 16: Hopes of Ranchiites, which had brightened up after the district administration installed masthead lamps, have died within months, thanks to poor maintenance.

A random survey conducted by The Telegraph revealed that nine of the 14 mast lights are either non-functional or partially functional. All of them were inaugurated with much fanfare.

According to the survey, the intersections where mast lights are not functioning (or partially functioning) are Karamtoli, Ratu road, Kutchery road, Hinoo Chowk, Kadru Chowk, Birsa Central Jail, Kantatoli, Piska More and Kanke road near chief minister’s residence

“I do not know what was the purpose of installing these lights when the administration cannot ensure its maintenance. Half of the lights of the mast lamps installed near my house in Karamtoli have not been working for the last two months, making us difficult to pass through the area. On some evenings, I find the lights completely non-functional. We complained to RRDA several times but to no avail,” said H.P. Singh, a resident of Morhabadi.

There are 14 mast lights in the capital. Some of them are managed by JSEB, some by RRDA and a few by the RMC. However, both the agencies have failed to maintain them properly.

“There is no consistency of lighting. Sometimes I find these working and sometimes I see complete darkness. I think sodium vapour lights were better,” said a shopkeeper at Albert Ekka Chowk.

Energy secretary Sudhir Prasad said since three organisations were responsible for the lights, they should be separately answerable on a case-to-case basis.

RMC deputy chairman Jitendra Jha said he could not recall which of the lights were managed by the corporation, but claimed the RMC-run lamps were functional. No one from RRDA or JSEB was available for comment.