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Ludhiana: Dysfunctional streetlights pose safety risks
Ludhiana MC officials said they have written multiple letters to the NHAI regarding the streetlights, but the authorities have not taken any action
The dysfunctional or missing streetlights on national highways 95 and 44 are posing serious safety threats, commuters said.
The worst-hit area, a 30-km stretch from Octroi post to Jagraon, falls outside the municipal corporation (MC).
An MC survey conducted this month found that around 80% of the street lights installed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in the MC limits are not functioning.
Officials said they have written multiple letters to the NHAI, but the authorities have not taken any action.
MC executive engineer Manjitinder Singh said, “We conducted a survey of the streetlights installed by NHAI on national highways 95 and 44. We found that 80% of the approximately 2,900 streetlights are not working. We have written multiple letters to NHAI but nothing has been done so far.”
Officials estimate that the 30-km stretch from Octroi post to Jagraon requires at least 1,800 streetlights, but only 200 are currently installed. They said most of them are dysfunctional.
Attempts to reach NHAI project director Priyanka, who goes by a single name, were unsuccessful.
National Road Safety Council member Kamaljit Soi said, “Deaths often occur dure to accidents on NH 95 during the winters, especially in the evening. Pedestrians and two-wheeler riders struggle without lighting as it gets dark. NHAI is charging tolls on the Jagraon road, which is unfair.”
An MC official, requesting not be named, said that the civic body gets at least 10 complaints in this regard every day as proplr do not know that the streetlights are maintained by NHAI.
“We haven’t received a reply from NHAI regarding the letters we’ve sent,” he added.
