Dark side of City Beautiful

Non-functional streetlights in several parts of the city are posing a threat to local residents and commuters. While people feel unsafe to venture out in the evening given the rising incidents of snatching, road users, especially two-wheeler riders, face a higher risk of accidents on potholed roads.

The Palsora rehabilitation colony in Sector 56, with a population of over 5,000, has been without streetlights for the past seven months. The Municipal Corporation has failed to repair the underground cable, which got damaged during the laying of a stormwater line in December last year. The residents rued the sorry state of affairs, while claiming that there was no coordination among the MC departments.

Tara Devi, a resident of the colony, said theft cases had increased in the area. Raj Karan said residents refrained from venturing out in the evening as incidents of snatching had increased in the locality.

Mannaur area councillor said he had been raising the issue with the officers for a long time. The officers concerned cited the fund crunch for the delay in cable repair.

He met Mayor Harpreet Kaur Babla and the Chief Engineer today. The Mayor assured him that the tender to repair the cable would be issued soon.

The city has nearly 50,000 streetlights, which are managed by the MC. Residents of almost all sectors complain of non-functional streetlights in their respective areas. Akhil Bansal, a resident of Dhanas, said it was unsafe to step out after dark. It is difficult to spot potholes filled with rainwater in the evening, he added.