Many roads in the city do not have proper streetlights, leaving Bangaloreans with no other option but to commute on dark stretches dotted with potholes. What makes it worse for pedestrians is that footpaths too are not properly maintained.
On Thursday evening, a surprise inspection by members of the Standing Committee on Ward Works revealed that street lights were not switched on at many roads and junctions such as Residency Road, Subbayya Road near Bishop Cotton’s, Shoolay Circle, Brigade Circle, Shanthinagar Circle and Mayo Hall Circle.
The reason given by BBMP authorities is that it takes two-and-half hours for them to switch on the streetlights. “Travelling time during peak hour is more. We have to switch on lights on each street and with traffic jams, it is difficult for us to cover all the roads in a short time,” an official said.
“Roads have potholes and footpaths are not maintained properly. Many times, I have slipped and got hurt without proper lighting. We are also worried about our safety,” says Ashwini Balu, an employee at CMC Ltd, Bangalore.
“I see five-six people stumble daily. Some sustain minor injuries and some just move on. If street lights are on, it can help avoid such incidents,” says Bhasha (35), a street vendor on Residency Road and a resident of Vijaynagar. “If such problem exist on main roads, what about interior roads?” he asked.
Standing Committee chairperson A H Basavaraju and his team visited a few streets. “Notices will be issued to the authorities on Saturday. If they do not take appropriate action, we will take action against them,” he added.