Defunct street lights leave key Ludhiana stretches in the dark

Faulty lights in Gurdev Nagar, Dugri, Haibowal and Barewal Road areas raise safety concerns; MC says 150 complaints received daily

With large stretches of several city localities plunged into darkness, residents of Gurdev Nagar, Dugri, Haibowal and Barewal Road have raised concern over damaged and non-functional street lights, saying the problem has worsened during the peak winter season and is posing a serious risk to public safety.

A defunct street light in Gurdev Nagar, Ludhiana, on Sunday. (Manish/HT)

Locals alleged that poorly lit streets have heightened fears of thefts and robberies, particularly during late evening and early morning hours, besides causing inconvenience to commuters and pedestrians.

Subhash Monga, a resident of Gurdev Nagar, said street lights in his area had not been working for the past three days. “The situation is quite worrying, especially in winter when darkness sets in early. I tried registering a complaint on the toll-free number, but it was either not working or not responding properly,” he said, urging the municipal corporation to ensure quick redressal of complaints.

Echoing similar concerns, Simranjeet Singh, a resident of Dugri, said several stretches were facing complete darkness. “Street lights along a stretch of the national highway and the Southern Bypass are damaged, creating dark patches. Besides this, many street lights in Dugri Phase 1 and Phase 2 are not working. The issue affects both commuters and residents and needs urgent attention,” he said.

Residents of Haibowal and Barewal Road also complained that non-functional street lights had become a regular problem despite repeated representations to the authorities.

Manjitinder Singh, XEN, MC, said around 150 complaints were being received daily through the toll-free number.

“At times the system faces technical problems. Our department is making all possible efforts to address complaints and restore street lighting at the earliest,” he added.