Temporary lights have been installed beneath the under-construction Swami Samarth Nagar Metro station in Lokhandwala, Andheri West, after concerns over poor illumination made it difficult for residents, particularly women, to use the stretch after sunset. Construction material and container cabins, however, remained beneath the station and along parts of the footpath when the area was visited on September 11.
The contractor working on Mumbai Metro’s Pink Line 6 installed the lights after Mid-Day reported on September 7 that the area around the station was shrouded in darkness. The report had highlighted concerns among residents and pedestrians using the road below the elevated infrastructure.
On September 11, a few temporary lights were visible beneath the station. Some construction material had reportedly been moved away, but material was still present beneath the structure and on the footpath. The obstruction has forced pedestrians to use the road, according to residents quoted in the report.
Yukti Pal, who regularly uses the road, said the lighting was a positive development but that more lights were needed on both sides of the stretch. She also called for the removal of construction material and container cabins from the footpath, saying pedestrians were being pushed into the path of vehicles.
The stretch is expected to see increased pedestrian movement during Ganeshotsav, including devotees travelling through the area. Residents said the combination of limited lighting and blocked walking space could create additional difficulty during the festival period.
Komal Mehta, a Lokhandwala resident, said the temporary lighting had been installed only days before Ganeshotsav but questioned why construction material remained on the footpath and road below the station. She said the route would experience heavier pedestrian use during the celebrations and that leaving the footpath blocked increased risks for those walking through the area.
The issue highlights an operational challenge around active urban infrastructure construction: temporary public access and safety arrangements must continue while elevated metro structures, materials and site cabins occupy parts of the existing road space. In this case, the immediate response has addressed part of the problem through temporary lighting, while the removal of remaining obstructions is still being sought by local residents.
Residents are now seeking additional lights along the stretch and the immediate clearance of construction material and container cabins from the footpath and the area below Swami Samarth Nagar station.
