Ranchi: Heavy rain is exposing cracks in the Ranchi Municipal Corporation's upkeep of street lights, with outages dimming over 60,767 lights. The downpours have not only triggered fresh faults but also hampered repair work, leaving several localities in darkness and residents worried about their safety. RMC logged 10,779 complaints this year and resolved 10,558, leaving 221 pending. In May, 759 complaints, ranging from flickering to non-functional streetlights, were received. A total of 769, including backlogs and reports by ward supervisors, were resolved."It becomes dangerous, especially for women and elderly, to walk on roads at night. Most lights stop working after rainfall, and this continues for days," said Shanti Devi of Argora"Waterlogged potholed roads pose risk in the dark during a shower," said Amit Prakash of Kanke Road.RMC officials admit that the challenges are heightened during the rainy season. "Streetlights need more upkeep in monsoon. But weather disruptions often force maintenance teams off the ground," said deputy municipal commissioner Gautam Prasad Sahu.RMC has scaled up its field teams from 15 to 24. "Currently, 22 teams are deployed daily, with two on standby for emergency. We are planning to increase it further to 27, aiming for two teams per ward," he added.

Assistant engineer Saurabh Kumar Keshari said, "Our teams also fix unreported faults during inspections. But in areas where underground cabling is affected by water seepage, it takes time." Over 3,000 dark spots, such as in Hotwar, Doranda Ghagra road, Durga Soren Chowk to Namkum Chowk, Kantatoli to Lowadih Chowk, are awaiting installations. "Many corners never had lights installed. Monsoon worsens the problem. In Dhurwa's sector 2, it becomes pitch dark after 7 pm. Shops are closed early. Women hesitate to step out, and two-wheelers face trouble navigating potholes and water-filled stretches without any visibility," said Renu Devi, a resident of Dhurwa.Residents can lodge complaints through a toll-free number (18005701235) or with ward supervisors. However, locals say timely responses and durable installations are what they truly need.(With inputs from Anushree Anand)