Who’s responsible for darkness on roads? : Over 7,000 non-functional LED bulbs raise fear of safety in city
As Diwali lights illuminate houses and neighbourhoods, large stretches of city roads are left in darkness due to non-functional streetlights, casting a shadow on the festival celebrations, raising serious questions on the MC accountability.
Despite the civic body’s duty to maintain well-lit streets, the failure to address the issue has left the residents concerned about safety. With over 7,000 LED streetlights reportedly out of order, key roads in areas such as Model Town, Ladowali Road, Guru Nanakpura Road and Maqsudan Chowk are without proper lighting, creating hazardous conditions and fuelling frustration among residents.
Meanwhile, the streetlight crisis isn’t new. For the last few years, the city’s LED streetlight project has been marred by allegations of corruption, with the matter even reaching the Vigilance Bureau for investigation. The project, initially meant to modernise the city’s lighting system, has instead become a symbol of inefficiency, with rumours of kickbacks and misappropriated funds raising serious doubts on the credibility of the MC’s management. Yet, despite ongoing investigations, the issue persists and streets remain dark.
The situation has led to a surge in crime across such areas as criminals exploit the situation to target residents. The MC’s complaint cell has received over 1,000 complaints in recent months about non-functional streetlights and anti-social activities that have emerged in the resulting darkness.
Kripal Singh, a resident, said without lights, the risk of crimes and accidents becomes a constant worry.
“Jalandhar aspires to be a Smart City, but basic infrastructure remains in poor shape,” said Dinesh Sharma, another resident. He said corruption allegations have plagued this project, yet nothing has been done to hold anyone accountable.
Sources within the MC point to a significant payment backlog behind the primary cause for the maintenance lapse. Approximately Rs 1.75 crore dues for operation and maintenance services has been pending with the maintenance company since January 2024. The company has reportedly sent many reminders to the MC, but without payment, they have been forced to scale back on services, leaving localities like Basti Guzan, Bashirpura Main Road, Bhagat Singh Colony, 120ft Road and stretches from Kapurthala Chowk to Raj Nagar and Lamma Pind Chowk to Kishanpura Chowk in the dark.
Meanwhile, MC officials said that maintenance work is underway. They said the non-payment matter had been resolved and it was due to some legal issues that work got delayed, but now teams have resumed repairs and the MC is conducting a comprehensive survey of non-functional streetlights across the city.
