Residents raise concern over faulty streetlights after Dehradun accident

Dehradun: The state of streetlights in parts of the city has come under scrutiny again after Wednesday's accident on Rajpur Road, where a speeding Mercedes killed four people. Eyewitnesses claimed that better lighting in the area could have prevented the tragedy. "Streetlights should be functional on all road stretches, regardless of the location. How can pedestrians feel safe when there are no speed limits, and streetlights are either dim or not working at all?" said Malini Sharma, a Rajpur Road resident. She added that the accident spot often remains poorly lit, making it prone to accidents and anti-social activities. Echoing similar concerns, Satyendra Badoni, a resident of Jakhan, said, "Market areas have proper lighting, but residential areas have dim and unkempt streetlights in most parts of Dehradun. This leads to numerous accidents on arterial and sub-arterial roads, which mostly go unnoticed unless they claim lives. Fractures or comas due to accidents are not even considered serious, probably. Voluntary routine maintenance of streetlights by the Corporation is not the norm in the city." However, Gaurav Bhasin, deputy commissioner of Dehradun Municipal Corporation, denied that Rajpur Road is poorly lit. "All the streetlights in the city are functioning. There is no complaint from Rajpur Road where the accident happened. Sometimes, a lower-watt tube is installed instead of a 70-watt one, which reduces brightness, but it can be replaced. We receive at least 150-200 complaints daily and resolve them regularly," he said.Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Holi wishes, messages and quotes !