New flyovers fail to clear Ranchi's traffic gridlock
2
Ranchi: Even after the inauguration of three major flyovers in the state capital, traffic chaos continues to plague Ranchi. Congestion on Ratu Road, Lalpur, Kutchery, and Kantatoli remains severe, while near Siramtoli, jams are routine because of the ongoing construction of a connecting corridor.
"Every evening, it takes me 40 minutes to cover what should actually be a 10-minute ride. The flyover is good, but below it, the market is so crowded that traffic moves inch by inch," said Ramesh Singh, an autorickshaw driver who operates on Ratu Road. Daily commuters echo the same frustration. "We thought the Kantatoli and Siramtoli flyovers would cut down our travel time, but diversions and unfinished stretches only make things worse," said Anjali Mishra, who drives daily from Lalpur to Harmu.
NHAI regional officer M T Attarde said, "We received reports suggesting a lack of public awareness. On Ratu Road, jams are caused by markets where supplies from other districts are delivered. To resolve this, we may have to talk to RMC for market arrangements. It will ease the traffic downside."
Traffic jams near Siramtoli are caused due to the construction of the connecting flyover between Kantatoli and Siramtoli.
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People are forced to take diversions even for simple routes. "The half-finished connecting corridor between Kantatoli and Siramtoli forces vehicles to take long detours, funnelling traffic into already saturated by-lanes," said Ram Naresh, another auto driver.
The 4.18 km-long Ratu Road flyover, built at Rs 291 crore was inaugurated in July 2025; the 2.4 km-long Kantatoli flyover, built at Rs 224 crore was opened in October 2024; and the 2.34 km-long, Rs 355-crore Siramtoli flyover launched in June 2025.
Lalpur main road remains one of the city's worst choke points even after new flyovers. Vehicles pile up near the traffic signal because service lanes are narrow and encroached. "From Lalpur to Circular Road, it's a nightmare. Sometimes I'm late to college even though I leave 30 minutes early," said Priya Sharma, a student of St. Xavier's College.
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