Patna’s Kadamkuan neighbourhood is heading into the busiest days of Durga Puja with organisers reporting low-hanging internet cables, unreliable streetlights and no designated visitor parking, adding pressure to an area already affected by encroachment and unregulated traffic.
The Sri Sri Navyuvak Durga Puja Samiti at Doman Bhagat Lane said overhead internet wires obstruct the construction of its pandal and interfere with the idol immersion procession every year. Committee treasurer Chandan Bhadani said the cables often have to be cut to clear the route, despite repeated requests to civic authorities for a permanent solution.
“Internet cables are strung across the road without any regulation. They should be put in a structured manner along the roadside instead of arbitrarily being hung in the middle. We raise the issue with the authorities every year, but there is no lasting response,” Bhadani said.
The problem highlights the difficulty of managing overhead communications infrastructure in a densely occupied neighbourhood during a public festival. Cables hanging across roads can obstruct temporary structures and processions, while their removal during events also creates the need for coordination between organisers, civic officials and service providers. The report does not indicate that a permanent cable-management plan has been put in place.
Street lighting is another concern for the organisers. Committee vice secretary Arjun Kumar Saw said high-mast lights installed by the Patna Municipal Corporation frequently stop working, leaving parts of the locality in darkness. According to the committee, the lights develop faults every couple of months, requiring organisers to arrange additional illumination themselves during the festival.
“We cannot wait for the authorities every time the lights stop working, especially during Puja. We have had to arrange additional lighting ourselves to ensure the area remains illuminated for visitors,” Saw said.
The lighting issue has direct implications for movement through the neighbourhood during the festival, when visitor numbers increase and roads may be partially closed. Organisers said they are having to supplement municipal infrastructure rather than rely on a consistently functioning public lighting system.
Parking is the third major difficulty. Road closures and higher footfall during the celebrations are expected to place additional pressure on Kadamkuan’s already congested streets. The committee said it had repeatedly requested the police and administration to designate a parking area for visitors, but had not received a response.
The absence of an identified parking arrangement leaves visitors and local residents navigating a constrained street network at a time when pedestrian movement is expected to rise. It also adds to the coordination challenge created by pandal construction, processions, traffic restrictions and emergency access requirements.
Ashtami and Navami are expected to draw large crowds to the area. The organisers said the continuing problems with cables, streetlights and parking have complicated preparations for the annual celebrations, with no coordinated solution yet reported from the Patna Municipal Corporation, police or administration.
