Railway station being bettered

I recall the earlier years when I was a young boy. There were no electric trains then. We would love the sight of the steam engine rolling in and enjoyed a crowded platform where passangers would buy locally grown fruit and stuff from the canteen.The halt was for nearly half an hour as the engine would refill its water tank to continue its journey.

There were no proper platforms then. There was just land separating the four sets of tracks.

The platforms still ground level, are now concreted.

The bridge across Damodar river

For years, there's been the need of a bridge across the Damodar river that separates Ranchi and Latehar districts.

After monsoons are over, a temporary bridge has been built every year since the last 6-7 years. This temp. bridge is to allow the hundreds of trucks transport coal from Tetaria Khar, a coal mine near Balumath, to Khalari siding. But monsoons wash away the mentioned bridge each year.

Well, finally the government has done a wonderful job by sanctioning a permanent bridge. The building work began a year or so ago and the contract I believe, is of 23 months, meaning that The bridge that will be responsible or the reason for development in the Gunj, will be ready by the end of this year. I had been to the site and had seen for myself, so I do believee that by the end of this year it should be completed.

Once this bridge is completely in use, there will be vehicles running through McCluskiegunj which will reduce the lenght of raoads between Daltonganj, Balumath, and Tori (Chandwa) etc. and Ranchi and Jamshedpur etc..

This, will be something that will relieve the residents of the Gunj. There will be a vehicle available to and fro Ranchi at least after every half an hour or so. Ranchi is the nearest for good markets, collages and Hospitals.

Normally there's only one small bus that leaves for Ranchi in the morning and returns to the Gunj in the evening. It is called "Pawan Rath" and belongs to Kanhaiya Prasad. Kanhaiya has another small bus which he rents out for wedding and picnic seasons.

current playing-up again

The electricity got cut-off on the 26th day of May and finally came on, on the 31st. This is a common thing to happen in the Gunj.

There is no government electrician posted at and for McCluskiegunj since the last 20 years. The last electrician was beaten up by the locals due to current issues and thus he fled.

Now when there's a problem with current, people either hire a private electrician from Khalari Bazar Tand or do the job themselves.

Villages and huts far out of the electrification range have taken connections using a single naked GI wire using tall trees as posts causing the voltage to drop due to improper insulation and due to no neutral supply from the supply poles.

There are many people who use heaters to cook food. When coal sigaries (fires) are lit and the smoke is in the air, it is a clear indication that there's no current.

There has been an improvement over the years though, but it still needs a lot of attention and work to be done in this regard. Until then, we suffer and live by the mercy of the Jharkhand State Electricity Boarad.

The Anglo-Indian association

Since I am not present at the Gunj due to having an outstation job, I only hear a lot of the gunj. I do drop in now and then but this is the latest I hear...

Mrs. A Norman, president of the association now, has planned to submit her resignation because she and her family will be leavig the Gunj permanently. Mr. M Norman, her husband who is a railway employee has been transferred elsewhere.

Mrs. Norman is also a teacher at the Don Bosco Academy, Mccluskiegunj.

If this happens (which is likely to do so) then there seems nobody to tgake charge of the president's chair after her resignation.

The members comments are that the association at the Gunj should be disolved as there is nobody capable of taking over charges. Though there are a few persons who would like to take the seat, like Mrs. judy Mendonca (who earlier was the president) and Robert Flemming who shows a lot of interest for the association. But everybody knows that Mrs. Judy Mendonca is not suitable for the post and Robert Flemming works outstation.

The fate of the Gunj now lies in the hands of God. God bless the association and its members.

Its Hot and Dry

The heat is tremendous as the month of May has begun. Schools are closed for summer, wells are drying and hand pumps are surrendering.

The electricity keeps playing up. It came on yesterday after two full days.

Regarding Hand pumps;

A few years back many people had been given hand pumps by the government through the MLA Mr. J. P. Galstaun.

I too got a free bore well a few years ago, but now it has collapsed. It was 200 feet when bored and now its just 75 feet.

During the election period, Mr. Ram Tahal Chaudhary (BJP) provided bore wells with the latest technique which uses small stone chips and casing that runs down to the end of the bore. This method does not allow a bore to collapse. Its is costlier no doubt, but good for years.