APPALLING: HSR Layout in the dark for months due to dysfunctional streetlights

By Aratrika Dey

The ‘posh’ neighbourhood of HSR Layout is in dire need of well-lit roads. Forget the residential areas, even the main thoroughfares (27th Main, 24th Main, 19th Main, 17th Main, 14th Main, 5th Main, 9th Main, 22nd Cross, 17th Cross) are without functional streetlights. Only the lights from houses and the passing vehicles serve as the sources of illumination today. Not only does this inefficiency from the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) encourages thefts and harassment, but also leads to road accidents. They also pose a threat to the safety of women, especially those who forego any means of transport and walk back home.

The residents are worried for their safety. They are compelled to walk with mobile phones doubling as torches, carry a retractable knife on key-chains, or a pepper-spray for safety. But these are not long-term solutions. “A month ago, I lived in Sector 5,” says resident Nayanika Dey who shifted to Sector 7. “The street lights around my apartment didn’t work on most days. I am a student and had a few college friends living nearby. As I had group assignments, I would frequently go to their place to work. I would return home around 9pm and sometimes later. On most days, when the street lights didn’t work, the whole street used to be pitch dark. I used to walk faster than I would with my mobile flashlight and a pepper spray in hand, hoping to reach my flat quickly, without getting groped, mugged, stalked, or even bitten by snakes!”

15th Cross Road, Sector 4

Another area with bad lighting conditions is 10th Cross Road in Sector 1. It is mainly a residential area with a few paying guest accommodations nearby. “It’s weird, one day the lights work, the very next day they don’t, and the distances between each street lamp is quite far,” says another boarder at a girl’s paying guest accommodation in the area. “If one streetlight is not working and the one at the end of the road is working, it makes no difference as one stretch of the road is still quite dark. Going out at night, or returning home late can be scary at times.”

Some residents of HSR Layout have shared their grievances on social media. One user tweeted that most streetlights in HSR Layout are dysfunctional and “immediate action” is required. Another person tweeted that complaints are not being resolved: “One street light is in a damaged condition in Sector 7 for months”. Another user notified that 15th Cross Road in Sector 4 has little lighting and thick tree cover. “Pedestrians use the road all evening while cars are rushing by. It is an important road that connects the 19th Main Road to the BDA Complex Road (14th Main) and the lack of lighting is a recipe for disaster at night,” the person said. “Chain snatching incidents have gone up, people are being nicked by passing vehicles… it is dangerous for all pedestrians,” tweeted another resident.

The BBMP is in charge of surveying and fixing defective street lights in the city. However, residents say little action was taken to resolve their complaints. HE Chandrashekar, the Chairman of the Federation of HSR Layout Resident Welfare Associations, said that two weeks ago, a ward committee meeting was held and all the complaints were lodged with the civic body. The residents were assured that the problem would be fixed within the next 3-6 months. “There were no funds allocated to fix this issue before this, but the BBMP has allocated funds now and is working to mitigate the problem,” said Chandrashekar. 

P Ramesh, the BBMP official in charge of streetlights in HSR Layout, said that the project is underway. “The plan is to survey and inspect the streetlights at night and fix them during the day,” he said. He added that the BBMP officials will begin their inspection of Sector 1 from tonight itself and the work will begin from tomorrow morning.