Pune: Recent robberies and attacks on the city's tekdis have prompted regular morning walkers and residents to complain about non-functioning streetlights in several areas, including roads leading towards the hills. The lack of proper lighting on the streets could endanger the safety of citizens, many have said. Vikas Kulkarni, one of many regular morning walkers in Shivajinagar, said he often finds stretches of FC Road in the dark during early morning hours.
"The route towards Agriculture College Chowk was recently plunged into darkness during night hours for two consecutive days. People from other areas may be facing similar issues," Kulkarni told TOI. Residents of Baner-Balewadi put forth a similar plight, saying many smaller lanes and bylanes in their locality either lack adequate streetlight provisions, or the existing ones are defunct.
In June this year, a senior citizen on an early morning walk in Aundh was also attacked by a group of miscreants for money, and later succumbed to his injuries. Veeju Jagtap, a resident of Gokhalenagar, said, "Noting recent incidents of crime against visitors on tekdis, it is high time that the authorities ensure provision of adequate lighting in public places, especially areas where people go for morning walks in the wee hours." Resident Akshay Wagh, who regularly visits tekdis, said these hills are always ignored when it comes to civic amenities.
"If it is not possible to install lights on tekdis due to some restrictions, the civic body.