Despite police’s tall claims, Noida continues to remain unsafe for its residents and working population.
What is even more disturbing is the fact that most cases of stalking, chain snatching, loot and molestation are being reported from busy markets and residential areas.
According to residents, one of the major reasons is poor street lighting and lack of police presence.
The situation has deteriorated to such an extent that residents now feel scared to step outside after the sun goes down.
“My daughter gets back home late from tution and we have started sending her brother to pick and drop her. There are no street lights in the area and neither is there any police patrolling,” said an aggrieved Kiran Singh, a resident of sector 24.
Women said that there were a few areas where they felt more vulnerable than usual. These include Ganga Market in sector 29, sector 18 market, Rajnigandha Chowk and Indira Market in sector 27, among others.
Even residential sectors such as 12, 22, 19, 28, 27, 36, 32, 34, 37, 50 and 71 are unsafe.
Noida police, on the other hand, claim to have installed CCTV cameras at various locations of the city to keep a check on bad elements.
{{/usCountry}}Noida police, on the other hand, claim to have installed CCTV cameras at various locations of the city to keep a check on bad elements.
{{/usCountry}}These areas include sector 18, Atta peer crossing, cross road of sectors 8, 10, 11, 12, Metro hospital Sector 12, Reliance-Adobe crossing, sector 12-22 crossing, DM residence crossing, T-point of Botanical garden metro station, crossroad at Rajnigandha, NTPC crossing and sector 57 crossing.
“We are increasing police patrolling in areas where the lighting is poor. Special care is taken in sectors that house companies and market places. We have also deployed a PCR to attend to emergent situations,” said a senior police official.
Meanwhile, the residents of sectors 22, 23, 25, 28, 31, 34, 52, and 55 are finding it difficult to venture out at night due to non-functioning street lights.
Neither the Noida Authority nor the Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited has initiated any effort to pay heed to complains lodged by residents let alone resolve them.
“We have repeatedly complained to the authorities about the problem and each time we are given lame promises. We have stopped going out at night as there is no light on the streets. Even our male colleagues leave office in groups or take a drop fearing getting robbed,” said Mohit Rangani, a resident of sector 28.