Tata Steel UISL refuses drain cleaning responsibility in Mango, blames Municipal Corporation

Mail News Service

Jamshedpur, July 17: A dispute has emerged between Tata Steel UISL and Mango Municipal Corporation over the responsibility of cleaning the roadside drains from Mango Chowk to Dimna Chowk. During a meeting with a delegation on Thursday, Tata Steel UISL Managing Director Rituraj Sinha agreed to repair the damaged drains but firmly refused to clean them, stating that it was the responsibility of the Mango Municipal Corporation.

However, a letter (No. 1029) dated July 2, 2025, from the Deputy Municipal Commissioner of Mango Municipal Corporation to Rituraj Sinha clearly requested Tata Steel UISL to ensure the cleanliness of the drains constructed by them on both sides of the four-lane road to avoid public inconvenience.

This contradiction had created confusion and concern, with residents questioning who will clean the drains? While the Municipal Corporation claimed that maintenance and cleaning fell under Tata Steel UISL’s responsibilities as the original builder, the company maintained that its role ended with construction.

The issue came to light during a meeting with a delegation that visited Rituraj Sinha to discuss civic concerns. The delegation included Janata Dal (U) District President Subodh Srivastava, Public Utility Representative Mukul Mishra, and Neeraj Singh representing MLA Saryu Roy.

They informed Rituraj Sinha that the roadside drains built by Jusco (now Tata Steel UISL) over 15 years ago had never been cleaned. The drains had collapsed in many places, causing water to overflow onto roads and into adjacent houses, shops, and apartments. The delegation demanded urgent cleaning and repairs.

Sinha responded that while repairing the drains was a major undertaking involving significant resources and time, he would initiate a survey and make efforts to get the work done. However, he reiterated that drain cleaning did not fall under UISL’s responsibilities.

The delegation urged the Tata Steel UISL MD to consider drain maintenance under the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, but he declined.

Meanwhile, the delegation also raised other civic issues from various parts of the city:

• Tapti Road, Sakchi: Sinha assured that the broken drain here would be repaired soon.
• Dalma View Park, Bistupur: He promised action regarding a burst drain.
• West Layout ‘E’ Road, Sonari: He agreed to look into sewerage water issues near Navlakkha Apartment and Krishna Tower.
• Bengali Colony, Sonari: Sinha said the dilapidated drains would be repaired.
• West Layout Road, Sonari: He confirmed plans to repair the road and proposed building an open gym between Road Nos. 11 and 12.
• Sports Infrastructure: The delegation requested sports grounds in Sonari and Kadma, which Sinha accepted.

As the deadlock over drain cleaning continued, residents awaited a clear resolution between Tata Steel UISL and Mango Municipal Corporation to address the long-standing issue.