Anantnag town residents irked over non-functional street lights

Anantnag town residents irked over non-functional street lights

Anantnag: Much to the annoyance and inconvenience of people, street lights in many parts of the main town of Anantnag are defunct as the Municipal authorities continue to look the other way.
The locals rue that the lights, on which money has been spent over the years, have remained defunct for months now, and repeated complaints to the concerned authorities have yielded no results.
“The worst affected are areas in the old town including Kadipora, Sarnal, Gajnag, and some other adjoining areas,” a local told Kashmir Reader, adding that these lights were installed amid much pomp and show but have rarely worked.
And the issue, residents say, is not only with the lights in the interiors but many lights installed along the main roads are defunct for a while now as well.
“We have been repeatedly asking the Municipal workers to fix these lights to no avail,” the residents complained. Dog menace in these areas makes the situation worse for the residents. The streets are filled with stray dogs and it becomes dangerous to venture out in the dark.
“You cannot go out after it gets dark if you are an elderly person or a kid as the street dogs are going to maul you. With no lights around you have no way to escape. And these incidents have been happening in our vicinity,” the residents said.
Besides, the residents said, that the upcoming winter season will aggravate the issue as rains and snow make roads and streets slippery to walk on. “Imagine walking in snow or lashing rains in pitch dark, with no street lights to guide you,” the locals lament.
The residents of these areas have appealed to the administration to take the issue seriously and direct Municipal authorities to fix these lights. Kashmir Reader tried talking to the Chairman of the Municipal Council Anantnag, Hilal Ahmad Shah, but he did not receive calls made on his mobile number.
Assistant Commissioner Revenue (ACR) Anantnag, Shoaub Noor, who also oversees the working of the Municipal Council, said that an agency has been hired by the government for upgradation of existing infrastructure and installation of new street lights.
“The agency is carrying out surveys and work will soon start on the project. The issue is hopefully going to be sorted out in totality soon,” Noor told Kashmir Reader.

 

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