After nearly ten years without basic street lighting, a key residential and commuter corridor in Mumbai’s Worli has finally been illuminated, offering relief to thousands of residents who navigated the stretch in darkness for nearly a decade. Street lights have been installed along a busy section of Pandurang Budhkar Marg, a critical connector linking residential housing societies to major arterial roads in central Mumbai.
The intervention follows sustained complaints by local residents, who had repeatedly flagged safety risks, particularly for pedestrians, senior citizens and children. For a neighbourhood surrounded by high-value commercial and residential developments, the absence of lighting had long symbolised uneven urban service delivery. Residents say the newly installed lamps have transformed everyday mobility. Until recently, people relied on mobile phone torches or handheld lights to walk home after dusk, despite the road carrying constant vehicular traffic, including two-wheelers and delivery vehicles. Industry observers note that poor lighting on dense urban roads significantly increases accident risk, discourages walking and undermines last-mile connectivity an essential pillar of inclusive urban planning.
A resident of a large housing society along the road said the issue had been raised with multiple civic departments over the years, often without clarity on responsibility or timelines. “The road serves thousands daily, yet it remained invisible to the system,” the resident said, adding that the lighting installation has restored both visibility and confidence after sunset. Urban infrastructure experts say the episode highlights a wider challenge facing Indian cities: the gap between large-scale infrastructure investments and neighbourhood-level civic essentials. While Mumbai continues to invest in premium real estate, transport corridors and redevelopment projects, basic public infrastructure such as street lighting, footpaths and drainage often lags behind, particularly in older mixed-use zones.
Street lighting plays a critical role beyond visibility. Well-lit streets are linked to improved public safety, higher walkability, and stronger community use of public spaces. From a sustainability perspective, modern lighting systems when energy-efficient and properly maintained also contribute to reduced carbon footprints and improved urban resilience. Civic officials familiar with the installation said the lights form part of a broader local upgrade programme, with emphasis on addressing long-pending complaints in high-footfall residential areas.
The challenge, they noted, lies in coordination between road-owning agencies, electricity departments and municipal bodies an issue common across Indian metros. For Worli residents, however, the outcome matters more than the delay. The illuminated stretch has already changed evening routines, reduced anxiety and restored a sense of dignity to daily movement. As Mumbai pushes towards a more inclusive and sustainable urban future, such neighbourhood-scale fixes may prove just as impactful as headline infrastructure projects reminding policymakers that livable cities are built one street at a time.
Mumbai Worli Residents Finally Get Street Lights After Ten Years Of Darkness
