Punes Urban Planning Faces Scrutiny as Poor Street Lighting Threatens Public Safety
Pune’s urban landscape is currently shadowed by a pervasive issue of poor street lighting, forcing residents and commuters to navigate through dimly lit or entirely dark roads each night. This widespread problem, marked by dysfunctional and broken streetlights, not only causes significant inconvenience but also raises acute safety concerns, particularly for women and vulnerable populations, empowering anti-social elements. While the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) reports actions at numerous sites, the persistent nature of these issues underscores a critical need for more robust, sustainable, and equitable urban lighting infrastructure to ensure safety and enhance the city’s liveability.
Citizens across various localities, including Kalyani Nagar and areas adjacent to metro stations, have consistently reported a alarming lack of functional or adequately bright streetlights. Specific stretches, such as the vital Tilak Bridge to Savarkar Bhavan route in Shivajinagar, remain particularly hazardous, transforming nighttime travel into a perilous undertaking. Residents articulate deep worries about the heightened risk of accidents and criminal activities like theft and harassment, directly attributing these fears to the prevailing darkness that engulfs public spaces after dusk. This absence of reliable illumination directly impedes the vision of a gender-neutral city where all citizens can move freely and safely at any hour.
A recurring grievance amongst residents points to the substandard quality of installed LED lights, which reportedly degrade rapidly, turning yellow and losing effectiveness within months. Compounding this, many light poles are often obscured by untrimmed foliage, further diminishing the already meagre illumination. Despite repeated public complaints, residents frequently observe that critical repairs and routine maintenance have regrettably fallen to community initiatives, indicating a significant gap in municipal responsiveness. This reliance on citizen-led efforts, while commendable, is unsustainable and places an undue burden on community resources that should be dedicated to civic responsibility.
Responding to the mounting pressure, officials from the Pune Municipal Corporation have outlined actions undertaken to address these deficiencies. The civic body asserts it has illuminated 274 previously dark spots in coordination with local police and various ward offices, including Shivajinagar-Ghole Road, Kothrud-Bavdhan, and Aundh-Baner. Newly installed streetlights are cited in areas such as Dengle Bridge, Patil Estate Bridge, Apte Road, Ramoshiwadi, Wakdewadi, Janwadi, Eklavya College, Paramhans Nagar, and along key stretches including Paranjape School to Cummins Company Gate, Chandni Chowk bus stop, Kothrud Depot, and ARAI Road. The PMC also indicates ongoing efforts to upgrade critical electrical components, which are often identified as the root cause of frequent lighting failures.
While these remedial actions are acknowledged, the pervasive nature of the problem suggests that the existing maintenance framework requires a more proactive and preventative approach. Pune has previously invested in energy-efficient LED street lighting systems, some integrated with advanced Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems, intended to enhance energy efficiency and reduce operational costs over the long term. Effective utilisation of such smart infrastructure, including timely fault detection and automated control, is paramount to achieving both immediate safety improvements and the city’s broader environmental goals, contributing to a truly zero-net carbon urban footprint.
Ultimately, consistent and high-quality street lighting is not merely a matter of convenience; it is a fundamental pillar of urban safety, social equity, and sustainable development. For Pune to truly evolve into a smart, equitable, and eco-friendly city, the sustained functionality of its public lighting system is non-negotiable. Regular, proactive maintenance and a transparent, citizen-centric complaint redressal mechanism are essential to ensure that every street is adequately lit, fostering a sense of security and enabling all residents, regardless of gender or socio-economic background, to access and utilise public spaces safely and equitably after dark.
