Residents sign on a flex to voice their protest against Dhanbad Municipal Corporation at Hirapur Park Market on Sunday. Picture by Gautam Dey

Close to 1,000 people signed up in less than a day for a campaign in Dhanbad against the administration’s negligence towards poor civic amenities.

Gathered under the banner of NGO Bhagat Singh Smarak Samiti, youths of the coal town joined hands with traders to launch the daylong campaign at Vivekanand Chowk in Park Market area of Hirapur on Sunday. The drive, which started at noon and continued for three hours, saw two dozen volunteers making people aware of the problem. A memorandum along with the signatures obtained will soon be sent to governor Syed Ahmed.

President of the samiti Bhrigunath Bhagat, who led the signature campaign along with his counterpart of Park Market Chamber of Commerce O.P. Sharma, alleged that both Dhanbad Municipal Corporation and the district administration at large have turned a blind eye to the poor condition of the road connecting Park Market with Joraphatak.

This road, which passes through Manaitand, Barmasia, Professor Colony, Hirapur and Hatia, is dilapidated and dotted with potholes. The stretch near Manaitand, particularly, has become almost non-motorable. “We were compelled to take this step as repeated petitions to the civic body failed to yield any response,” said Bhagat adding that the authorities concerned also blissfully ignored the perils, thus risking lives.

This road also offers an alternative route to Dhanbad and Jharia. As the Dhanbad-Jharia link, which passes through the busy Bank More area, is the most common route taken by all, many local residents use this stretch to reach the coal capital. “Nothing could be more sad than the fact that the authorities are ignoring such an important link,” Bhagat rued.

The protesters also highlighted the menace of overflowing drains.

“De-silting of drains is usually carried out every year ahead of monsoon, but this time that also did not happen. Of all places, Manaitand is the worst victim of this overflowing drain problem,” said Bhagat, adding that if steps were not initiated within a week, they would launch the second phase of their protest that would include dharna and road blockade.