Residents of housing complexes near Big Bazar in Mango are surprised and angry that the LED street lights, installed in their area six months ago, haven't been working over a fortnight.
Installed on a 200-metre stretch alongside Big Bazar near NH-33 with much fanfare _ these were ceremonially switched on by minister and Jamshedpur West MLA Saryu Roy on September 10, 2016, _ the use of LED lights was part of an ambitious move of the state urban development department through Mango Notified Area Committee.
"The LED lights haven't been functioning for around two weeks now. We have complained to the MNAC also but no action has been taken so far," said Sunil Kumar Sinha, a transport businessman and a resident of multi-storied apartment in the Kumrum Colony.
Sinha recalled that earlier, the area had fluorescent streetlights with overhead wires. But in September last year, the LED lights were installed in the Kumrum Colony area.
"We had been told that the LED lights would be maintained for about a year by the private agency which had installed it. Then, they would be maintained by the notified authority," Sinha said.
Kumrum Colony has over six multi-storied apartment complexes and single-storied houses with a population of over 3,000. The LED lights, each 60 watt, were installed on 7 meter long poles with underground wiring.
Now that the stretch of road is unlit, residents have started to complain of safety.
"It has become unsafe for women to walk out of their houses as it is dark all along. The area is close to NH-33 and Big Bazaar and other market complexes. A number of youths throng the area and many of them pass lewd comments taking advantage of the darkness," said Shoba Singh, a resident of Sunshine Flats.
Mango Notified Area Committee special officer Jagadish Prasad Yadav, however, denied having received any complaint from residents.
"We are unaware the LED have not been functioning for the last few weeks. The private agency was supposed to look after its operation for a year. I will ensure that the street lights are repaired at the earliest," Yadav said.
