Koraput: Defunct street lights are a major problem in Jeypore town.

Denizens complain the threat of accident looms large along the 3km of NH-26 passing through the town as the roads remains dark because of defunct street lights.

Also, several roads in Parabeda, P.R. Peta, Jaya Nagar and Bank Colony of the town remain dark at night with the street lights not functioning or being very low-voltage. The situation not only puts people in cars at risk but also pedestrians.

Police officials also agree that the dark stretches are prone to criminal activities.

"Proper illumination of the road at night is needed for policing. Our men face problems during night patrol. Robberies could be checked on the highway if the street lights function properly," said a senior police official.

According to an official at the Jeypore municipal office, there are at least 3,500 street light posts in the town and following an agreement with the government last year, an organisation named Energy Efficiency Services Limited had undertaken the work for replacement of the existing lights with LED bulbs. The work is yet to start.

"It is almost a year since the company undertook the contract, but the work is yet to start despite us giving them several reminders. We have given him a final deadline to start the work by to June 30," said Sanjay Kumar Acharya, executive officer of Jeypore Municipality.

The officer said though the fused bulbs were being replaced, they don't work for long because the cabinets are old and the entire set needed to be replaced. "We hope the company will start work at the earliest and the problem will be solved," he said.