A PWD official said they will look into the matter and the lights will be repaired immediately. Amit MehraNearly 70%-80% of streetlights and high-mast lights on the stretch between Pragati Maidan Metro station and Badarpur border have been non-functional for at least a week.
A spot check by The Indian Express at the high-profile Mathura Road, Purana Qila Road and Bhairon Marg found that many streetlights on these roads were off at night. This also included the roads in front of the Delhi Zoo and the National Crafts Museum.
Significantly, stretches that are part of the 1.2-km long Pragati Maidan corridor were also dark. The corridor comprises an underground tunnel from NSIC on Purana Qila Road, and six underpasses – five on Mathura Road at Sher Shah Suri Road, DPS near Sunder Nagar, Supreme Court, Science Centre, Pragati Maidan; and one on the Ring Road that connects to Bhairon Marg.
Commuters pointed out that a lack of proper lighting on the stretch poses a danger, especially given that the roads have been widened and vehicles often travel at high speeds.
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Vipin, who uses the Pragati Maidan stretch every day, said, “Especially late at night, these roads are also used by heavy motor vehicles.”
Kamlesh, who travels from Sarita Vihar to ITO for work, said, “With lights on the median not working, many cars use high beams which is jarring for drivers.”
A PWD official said they will look into the matter and the lights will be repaired immediately. Amit Mehra Asked about this, a PWD official said, “Several lines were shifted on the project area around Pragati Maidan where construction work is underway. The lights will be operational once the stretch is fully complete and inaugurated for public use.”
It was a similar situation at more than a dozen stretches in Central and Southeast Delhi.
- While the Sunder Nursery road had working lights, none were functioning at the Neela Gumbad roundabout which leads towards ITO and Nizamuddin.
- Streetlights and high-mast lights on the other side of Mathura Road from Ashram Underpass such as at Bhogal signal, New Friends Colony, Friends Colony, Apollo Hospital, near Sarita Vihar Metro station, Alipur Gaon till Badarpur toll gate were not working.
- Further, streetlights from Sarai Kale Khan to Barapullah flyover, Maharani Bagh flyover and the roads that divide towards Noida and Delhi were not working.
- At the Ashram Flyover stretch, where work on extending the flyover to the DND flyway is underway, there were no lights as cable lines are being shifted.
- At New Friends Colony, there were functional lights between the first and second signals. However, these were shrouded by overgrown trees due to lack of pruning.
- Other key stretches like IP Marg to ITO and the Sarai Kale Khan IBST stretch that sees heavy footfall also lacked proper lighting.
A PWD official said one of the main reasons for non-functional streetlights on several stretches like Sarai Kale Khan, Nizamuddin and parts of southeast Delhi is theft: “Sometimes, thieves have tried to cut an entire pole… wires are frequently stolen too.”
He added that roads are inspected daily to check if streetlights are in working condition. He also pointed to the recent thunderstorm and said, “We will look into the matter and the lights will be repaired immediately.”
The PWD received 300 complaints regarding non-functional streetlights in June, of which 87 are pending. In May, 548 complaints were received, of which 40 are pending.
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