Streetlights not working, Ridge Road is new hub for criminals

Walking or travelling alone along the Upper Ridge Road is now an invitation to any form of crime, thanks to the non-functional streetlights.

This pitch-dark stretch in the heart of the city has become the latest hotspot for criminals.

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Walking or travelling alone along the Upper Ridge Road is now an invitation to any form of crime, thanks to the non-functional streetlights.

With no lights working on this stretch, commuters have become vulnerable to crimes such as snatching, eve-teasing, car theft, accidents, among others.

Not only this, the civic agencies have spent several crores on the maintenance of the streetlights in the city but stretches like these belie their claims.

“The road is very poorly lit, making it impossible to walk on it. I use the stretch every day and the civic body has not bothered to pay any heed to the repair work required,” said Sudeep Das, who works in a foreign mission.

The civic agency — New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) — claims that they will look into the matter.

“We are examining the matter and the problem will be rectified soon,” said Amit Prasad, spokesperson of NDMC.

Police officials claim that poorly lit stretches have become a big reason for heightened criminal activity since it becomes difficult to identify the criminals or to note down vehicle numbers in the dark.

However, this is not the only loophole on the stretch. The absence of adequate lighting has made it next to impossible to keep sight of uncovered drains or potholes, increasing the number of accidents on the stretch.

“There are certain stretches at the Ridge Road which we have identified as dark spots. The PCR vans have been asked to place their round-the-clock. But we have also asked the civic body for proper lighting. Area near Dhaula Kuan also requires better lighting. We keep sending reminders to the NDMC which is the land owning agency,” said a senior Delhi police official.