With top cop’s initiative, 26 dark zones in city lit up for public safety

Taking steps towards safety and security of city residents, the initiative of Ludhiana Commissioner of Police (CP) Swapan Sharma yielded fruits as on his recommendations, as many as 26 high mast lights have been installed in the designated 26 dark zones. The dark zones were identified by the police after holding deliberations with police stations heads, representatives of society and other cross-section of people.

The top cop had written a letter to the Ludhiana Improvement Trust (LIT), seeking immediate installation of these lights and agreeing to his suggestion, the lights have been installed now.

The high mast lights have been installed first time in public areas and near public parks to ensure anti- social elements should not roam freely and commit any crime.

One each high mast light has been installed in dark zones identified at Shivpuri, Pavillion Mall, opposite Shudh Mishthan, Haibowal chowk, Domoria Bridge, Bhuriwala Gurdwara, Maharaj Plaazo Market, Ghati chowk, Nali Mohalla, Bhagat Singh Nagar, Sarabha Nagar-I Block, BRS-G Block, Tuition Market, Mintgumri Chowk, Baba Deep Singh Gurdwara, Jhandu Chowk, Rishi Nagar, Midha Chowk, Libra bus stand Model Town and opposite Satpaul Mittal School.

Three lights each have been installed around Rose Garden and the Gurdev Nagar area.

Talking to The Tribune on Monday, the Commissioner of Police said the high mast light was a tall lighting structure — usually standing anywhere from 40 to over 150 feet high — designed to brighten up large outdoor areas. You’ll often see them along highways, at airports or around big stadiums. With several lights mounted at the top, they spread light evenly across wide spaces, helping cut down on shadows and making the area safer and easier to see at night. These lights are daily switched on in evening hours till the sunrise. After the installation of the lights, the Police Department have received a positive feedback from residents.

A senior police official said the city had over 1,500 safe city cameras and almost important city points were covered with these cameras. Whenever any crime occurs in these dark zones, identification of snatchers or robbers becomes a challenge for the police but the installation of these lights would serve as a deterrent for criminals as safe cameras or cameras installed in houses or business establishments can easily record the faces of the suspects.

Install lights in our constituencies, say MLAs

After the Commissioner of Police’s initiative, sources said MLAs had also joined race, asking LIT officials to install more such lights in their constituencies. Now, the LIT had also reportedly floated tenders to install more high mast lights in the city.