Lack of proper illumination on streets irk residents in Guwahati

GUWAHATI: The lack of proper illumination facilities on the streets remains a major problem in Guwahati. While lights remain missing in some parts of the city, some other localities suffer from the lack of proper wiring and overall maintenance on the part of the organisations responsible for the same.

People from different parts of the city had raised concerns regarding the matter. On the main roads of the city, dysfunctional streetlights can be spotted at almost regular intervals. After every five to ten working lights, one can spot a streetlight that is completely damaged or partially damaged, including blinking or dimmed lights. The condition is way worse on the smaller roads and the bylanes of the city, as many of them remain without any illumination. Some of them have a few working ones, while a large majority seem to be non-functional or faulty, and because of these problems, these streets become completely dark after nightfall. While faulty lights increase the chances of drivers losing concentration, thus increasing the chances of accidents, the complete lack of illumination on smaller streets and bylanes triggers an increase in anti-social activities.

Three agencies, namely the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC), the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA), and Guwahati Smart City Limited (GSCL), are responsible for the maintenance of the necessary amenities, including the street lights of the city. Although some of the streetlights have been repaired from time to time owing to complaints received from the local citizens, several of the localities remain neglected.

A working woman mentioned, “Because of the lack of illumination, some of the street corners have become spots for consumption of alcohol and other narcotics. We prefer not to go through these localities at night, and even if we have to, we travel in groups. There is always a risk when travelling in these areas, especially for women.”

Another citizen said, “We fail to comprehend why the authorities can ensure regular maintenance of the streetlights. During Durga Puja and Diwali, they could light up all the flyovers of the city, but after that season, the city streets seem to have become partially dark with a large number of streetlights not functioning”

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