A PART of city’s Sadar flyover, from Kasturchand Park Metro Station to SJTI Complex, Residency Road, has been shrouded in darkness every night since the start of January due to non-functional streetlights. What should be a smooth and safe drive has turned into a perilous journey for commuters navigating this stretch under compromised visibility. The absence of functioning streetlights on the flyover is a glaring civic issue. When ‘The Hitavada’ visited the location during night hours, it was observed that vehicles speeding with high-beam headlights created a disorienting and blinding effect. This creates a risk of head-on collisions, and incidents of near-misses has skyrocketed. Madhu Wasnik, a regular commuter on this flyover, shared her experience.

 

“I drive cautiously every night. Vehicles from both directions often overtake recklessly, straying out of their lanes, and their high-beam headlights reduce one’s visibility,” she said. She noted that even with a history of accidents in the past when streetlights functioned, the authori- ties remained indifferent. It is up to citizens now to either take alternate routes below the flyover or drive slowly and carefully. Her frustration echoed the worry of many who commute on this route daily. The situation not only affects individual safety but also depicts a lack of accountability and coordination among civic bodies Rajendra Rathore, Executive Engineer (Electrical), Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), said that the streetlights on the Sadar flyover were under the jurisdiction of the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI).

 

“We informed the NHAI about the issue a week ago. Any further updates will come from them,” he stated. Chandrakant Sinha, Project Director of NHAI’s Nagpur Regional Office, told ‘The Hitavada’ that he would look into the matter but refrained from mentioning why the street lights were non-functional, and did not commit on resolution. As one commuter aptly put it, “We do not need apologies or promises, we need action.” Until then, for those who have no choice but to use the flyover, caution remains the only companion at night.