Whether one is driving into the city or driving out of it, Calcutta is uniformly dark at night.

After focusing on the unlit gateway to the IT hub, Metro turns the spotlight on the Vidyasagar Setu approach on AJC Bose Road, where headlights of speeding vehicles are the only source of illumination.

More than 2,500 lights are non-functional on Judge’s Court Road and the stretch in front of Alipore zoo and National Library, increasing the chances of an accident and posing a security threat.

In 2006, Metro had reported the same problems on the same stretches (see graphic above). Little seems to have changed two years on.

Where: Vidyasagar Setu approach on AJC Bose Road

When: Thursday, 8pm

What we saw: There are almost 1,500 street lights on both sides of the 3-km stretch, but none of them was working. The connections are in a series, so if one lamp post develops a snag, all the lights go off. Trucks, cars and two-wheelers were depending only on their headlights.

Driver version: “Street lights are essential in this high-speed zone, used by both small and big vehicles. A lapse in concentration can lead to an accident. Trucks frequently use the wrong side of the road. If there are lights, one can at least see the road ahead,” said Amit Tiwary, a resident of Howrah.

Official quote: “Funds and infrastructure are a problem,” said a spokesperson for the Hooghly River Bridge Commissioners.

Where: Alipore zoo-National Library

When: Thursday, 8.30pm

What we saw: Billboards are the only source of light in this accident-prone zone. The 50-plus street lamps do not work. According to the residents, the lights do not work eight months of the year. National Library, Alipore zoo and Taj Bengal are the landmarks in the area. The dark stretch continues till Kothari Hospital.

Driver version: “I sometimes feel the Calcutta Municipal Corporation (CMC) is hand-in-glove with the advertising agencies. They keep the street lights off so that the billboards become more prominent. But this puts the lives of motorists in danger,” said Mustafa Limdiwala, who drives home to Burdwan Road from his office in BBD Bag.

Where: Judge’s Court Road

When: Thursday, 9pm

What we saw: The area has been dark for months. Repeated complaints by the residents have failed to wake the CMC from its slumber.

More than 1,000 street lights on Judge’s Court Road have been out of order for seven months. Over the past few months, several mishaps involving two-wheelers have taken place.

Driver version: “The attitude of the CMC has baffled us. Why should we have to live without street lights when we pay all our taxes?” asked Harshavardhan Agarwal, a resident of Judge’s Court Road.

CMC version: “I will try to find out what is wrong with the lights on the two stretches tomorrow,” said Sushil Sharma, the mayoral council member (lighting).