16-km stretch on Ludhiana’s Southern Bypass awaiting streetlights

While the portion from Ferozepur road to the GNE College point falls under municipal jurisdiction and is adequately illuminated, the subsequent 16-km stretch remains devoid of street lights

{Decade of darkness}

Despite officials submitting three proposals in the last 10 years, no action has been taken to install streetlights at the Ferozepur road to Doraha stretch. (Manish/HT)

With the public works department’s (PWD) turning a blind eye, a critical 16-km segment of the 28-km Southern Bypass road, stretching from Ferozepur road to Doraha, has remained sans street lighting for the past decade.

While the portion from Ferozepur road to the GNE College point falls under municipal jurisdiction and is adequately illuminated, the subsequent 16-km stretch remains devoid of street lights.

Despite officials submitting three proposals in the last ten years, no tangible action has been taken to rectify the situation.

The absence of proper lighting along the thoroughfare has posed challenges for commuters, heightening safety risks and complicating navigation after dusk.

Satsangat Singh, a regular commuter, lamented, “I frequently use the bypass to reach Doraha, but the evening commute is extremely difficult in the absence of proper lighting.”

“The reliance on high beams by motorists further exacerbates the difficulty in navigation, exacerbated by numerous diversions and road cuts,” he added.

Fresh proposal being prepared

Addressing the issue, PWD executive engineer Pardeep said, “Despite our repeated proposals over the past decade, we have received no response from the government. We are preparing a fresh proposal to install street lights along the 16-km stretch to alleviate the hardships faced by commuters.”

According to the PWD’s electrical engineer, approximately 35 street lights are installed per kilometre, with each street light, pole and fitting costing around ₹50,000. However, without government intervention, the thoroughfare remains shrouded in darkness, jeopardising safety and impeding smooth traffic flow, especially during peak hours.

As the problem persists, residents and commuters are urging the PWD to expedite the process and prioritise the installation of street lights along the Southern Bypass road, with many noting that enhancing safety was paramount.