In order to make the city roads safe and secure for the women of the national Capital during the night hours, the Public Works Department (PWD) along with all the civic agencies has undertaken a project on a war footing to illuminate the dark spots across the city. Around 3,225 electricity poles have been installed, 6,065 street light fittings have been augmented and 5,477 number of lights have started functioning under the jurisdiction of the North Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) through PWD.
The PWD along with three municipal corporations, Delhi Development Authority (DDA), New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) conducted a survey in the past months to identify the number of dark spots in their respected jurisdictions. “These dark spots were a cause of concern and we have been bringing it to the notice of the civic agencies to ensure proper lighting after evening hours. These stretches were also crime prone and despite beat patrol many incidents had happened. With better lighting, the job of law enforcing agencies becomes easier”, a senior official of Delhi Police said.
The project is part of the Delhi Lieutenant Governor’s (LG), Anil Baijal’s ambitious and major ‘Women safety’ program. Under which the PWD and the urban development department of Delhi were given tasks and asked to take action points to ensure good lighting and eradicate all the dark spots across the city to create a safer environment for the women.
“PWD fixed the dark spots on roads within their jurisdictions as well as in the North and East Municipal Corporation of Delhi. The South Delhi Municipal Corporation (SDMC), NDMC and DDA took up the work within their areas at their own level. Further, PWD have also done street lights fitting for illumination of dark spots,” said a PWD official.
However, as of now the illumination of dark spots has been done only by the North DMC.
“Further, the North MCD has also identified three stretches such as Lok Nayak Puram to Hira Kudna Road, Tikri extension behind 220 KV grid pole location MDKZC/ 86-87 near the main road temple and Baba Hari das colony on Tikri Border which belongs to the SDMC. The places also need illumination of dark spots and street lights,” added the official.
Further, witnessing a number of complaints from the commuters and the people about the non-functioning of street lights, the Engineer-in-chief (E and C) of PWD, Puneet Kumar Vats directed its officials to conduct a daily spot inspection of street lights during the night hours between 9 pm to 10 pm.
“The maintenance vans attached to with various field units should inspect the roads at night between 9 pm to 10 pm on the spot inspection. A check list should also be prepared signed by the concerned person indicating the proper functioning of street lights,” said the PWD chief engineer in a recent meeting.
The PWD chief further asked the chief engineers of the maintenance zones to ensure that necessary actions are passed to field units and target is achieved.