Faulty streetlights leave Islamabad residents to grope in darkness

ISLAMABAD: As the sun sets, most parts of the capital city almost plunge into darkness as the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has failed to repair faulty and broken streetlights.

Despite residents’ complaints, streetlights on several important highways and in residential areas have not been repaired for the last several months.

Residents of various sectors and localities have to navigate in the dark due to the faulty streetlights, which also leads to accidents at night.

Streetlights in various sectors of Islamabad, including G-8, G-9, G-6, F-7, F-8, F-11, E-11, and the main roads and the expressway, Jinnah Avenue, have been out of order.

Residents said that almost all sectors plunge into darkness as soon as the evening approaches due to the faulty streetlights.

The absence of streetlights also makes roads and footpaths unsafe for pedestrians and motorists at night.

 Fakhar Abbas, a shop owner at Sitara Market, said that shoppers avoid visiting markets for shopping at night due to poor visibility and dark alleyways.

Komal Mirza, a resident of G-8/2 Tipu Market, said that they have been lodging complaints to the CDA about the dysfunctional streetlights in the locality, but the civic agency’s officials never entertain their complaints.

She also said that a few days ago, a car was stolen from her neighbourhood because the thieves took advantage of the faulty street lights. 

“There is a narcotics den in the G-7 slums, and several heroin users roam around in the streets. I always feel unsafe when I go to the market at night,” Ali Khan, a resident, said.

Similarly, most parks and sports grounds have almost no lights, making the grounds no-go areas for the residents after the evening.

CDA officials claimed that the directorate responsible for streetlights regularly tends to complains and repairs streetlights.

The CDA officials confessed that street crimes have also risen due to the dearth of streetlights in different sectors.

They claimed that the CDA was taking concrete steps to ensure fixing the damaged streetlights.

Last year, the CDA claimed to have completed 90 per cent of the work on the installation of LED lights, and repair and maintenance of existing streetlights along the streets, service roads, and main avenues of Islamabad.