Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Thursday inaugurated the much-awaited ₹357-crore flyover in the state capital Ranchi to ease traffic flow. The four-lane flyover was inaugurated a day after massive protests by tribal outfits who were demanding the demolition of a ramp built at Siramtoli near Sarna Sthal, a sacred religious place.
The flyover has been named after 'Kartik Oraon', a veteran tribal Congress leader who had served as a Union minister in former prime minister Indira Gandhi's cabinet. Born on October 29, 1924 at Karounda Littatoli in Gumla district, he had also participated in the freedom struggle.
"The flyover will ease the traffic flow in the capital and will provide seamless movement. This is a historic moment," Soren said while inaugurating the project.
The 2.34-km elevated road, which includes a 132-metre stretch over a railway line, is part of the ₹356-crore infrastructure project launched in August 2022. It aims to improve connectivity between Siram Toli and Mecon to alleviate traffic congestion.
"Today, on the occasion of World Environment Day, I had the great privilege of inaugurating the 4-lane flyover/elevated road-cum-road overbridge from Siramtoli Chowk to Mecon roundabout via Rajendra Chowk in Ranchi for the conservation and promotion of nature. Siramtoli flyover will be known by the name of our leading guide Kartik Oraon ji," Soren posted on X.
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The launch was done a day after a Jharkhand bandh was observed to protest the construction of a ramp near Sarna Sthal, a sacred tribal religious site in Ranchi. The protesters had blocked several roads in Ranchi, while no major incident was reported from anywhere else, police said.
At least 10 preventive detentions were made during the bandh — six in Ranchi and four in Ramgarh. The opposition BJP had demanded intervention from Soren, who is himself a tribal, for a solution to the issue linked to the sentiment of the community. Demonstrators had blocked major highways connecting Ranchi with Hazaribag, Gumla and Daltonganj, disrupting traffic movement.
Though the impact of the shutdown was significant in the state's capital, normal life was partially hit in neighbouring Ramgarh and Gumla.
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