Hubballi-Dharwad Street Light Crisis: Week-Long Delays Leave Citizens in Darkness
Residents of Hubballi-Dharwad are grappling with prolonged darkness during late-night and early-morning hours as most streetlights remain non-functional, with grievances taking over a week to be addressed. A severe funds crunch has left the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC) without sufficient bulbs and resources, causing significant delays in repairs and raising serious safety concerns among the populace.
Citizens Voice Safety Fears Amid Delayed Repairs
According to local reports, it is taking up to one week to rectify streetlight issues after citizens register complaints at the control room. In the absence of formal grievances, HDMC is not proactively attending to defunct lights, leaving many areas in complete darkness. This situation has made traveling on the streets, especially after 11 PM, a frightening experience. Even in the early hours, morning walkers and sportspersons are forced to commute in unsafe conditions.
Dr SV Sullad, a resident of Akshay Colony, highlighted the problem on Arts College-Tolanakere Road and surrounding areas. "Roads will have light until shops are open. Once they shut by 11 PM, darkness prevails everywhere," he said. Dr Sullad shared an instance where a complaint about five defunct lights on January 20 resulted in only two being fixed, with personnel citing cable issues as the reason for leaving the rest unattended.
Inconsistent Lighting Patterns Exacerbate Issues
Harshavardhan Sheelavant, editorial executive at All India Radio, Dharwad, noted inconsistent lighting patterns across the city. While streetlights remain continuously on at DC Compound Road and opposite the DC's office, areas like the back of Hindi Prachar Sabha up to Jayanagar and Saptapur Bhavi are plunged into darkness. "It is very difficult to see a lit light at State Bank Colony, Gopalpur, in the early hours," he observed.
Sheelavant explained that staff often switch off lights by 4 AM and turn them on early in the evening around 5 PM, only to shut them off again by 10 PM. This erratic schedule has created a menace for morning walkers, newspaper hawkers, and factory-goers, who now face threats from dogs and stray cattle. Additionally, uprooted pavers on footpaths increase the risk of accidents for pedestrians.
Students and Senior Citizens Bear the Brunt
A group of tuition-goers, including Pramila, Vijaya, Siddu, and Vinayak, expressed their fears about attending early morning classes. "As streetlights are off at Malamaddi, Emmikeri, Srinagar Circles, and other areas, we have to ride our bicycles in fear," they shared. The scary situation has led many parents to drop their wards in personal vehicles, discouraging the cycling habit altogether.
Parvati, a senior citizen in Keshwapur, has stopped her morning walks entirely due to a recent chain-snatching incident in her area. "After sunrise, we become busy with cooking and other domestic activities," she rued, highlighting how the lack of lighting disrupts daily routines and compromises safety.
HDMC's Response and Systemic Challenges
Suchit Angadi, a civil engineer in Lingaraj Nagar, Hubballi, suspects that HDMC is completely out of funds. "We complained about a defunct light, and the personnel attended to it after 8 days, that too after we approached some officials," he said, pointing to systemic inefficiencies.
In response, Gavisiddayya VH, executive engineer (electrical) at HDMC, claimed that personnel attend to grievances within 2-3 days. When questioned about the checking mechanism for streetlight status, he stated that routine checks are conducted. "Sometimes, while responding to a grievance, personnel may attend to some other posts, and complainants feel that their grievance is left unattended. However, we take care of all grievances," he assured, though this contrasts sharply with citizen experiences of prolonged delays.
The ongoing street light crisis in Hubballi-Dharwad underscores broader issues of municipal funding and infrastructure maintenance. With residents facing increased risks and disrupted daily lives, urgent action is needed to restore lighting and ensure public safety across the twin cities.
