Neelam Nagar Residents Celebrate ‘Dark’ Diwali! Non-functional Street Lights Spoil Festive Mood!
Diwali festival is synonymous with glittering lights. The festival preaches to dispel darkness and usher in light and happiness. In fact, to enhance the joy and thrill of the festival, each year on the eve of Diwali festival the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus (CSMT) railway station and Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Head Office building in Mumbai are illuminated with colourful lights. Alas, the MSEDCL in Mulund does not understand the importance of lights during Diwali!! Perhaps, that’s the reason why the residents of Neelam Nagar Phase -2 in Mulund (E) had to celebrate a ‘dark’ Diwali this year.
As Mulund dazzled in the glittering lights of Diwali festival and Mulundkars celebrated Diwali with delight, the residents of Neelam Nagar Phase -2 in Mulund (E) were disappointed as an entire stretch of the road lay in pitch darkness due to non-functional street lights! The darkness not only spoiled the festive mood of the children, but even the senior citizens had a hard time moving out to meet their friends and relatives.
Annoyed at the non-functioning of the street lights, a senior citizen, Shripad Kale, told Home Times, “The absence of street lights posed a major hindrance on Diwali as many senior citizens like me did not step out of our houses to greet our friends due to the frightening unlit road.” He added, “Besides, the absence of street lights is also posing a major threat to the residents living in the vicinity. The darkness is becoming a boon only for thieves and anti-socials of the society. A few days back a car was stolen from our premises. Similarly, incidents of house break-ins and thefts have also become frequent as dark stretches provide an easy escape route for petty criminals.” “It is our earnest request to MSEDCL to rectify the street lights and restore electricity soon,” he pleaded.
A student Prathamesh Tiwari lamented, “The pleasure of our Diwali festival was marred by the non-functional street lights as, after 7 p.m., the streets became too dark and scary, hence the joy of bursting crackers on the roads was spoiled.”
The residents told Home Times that they have complained several times to the concerned MSEDCL Department but, regrettably, the MSEDCL have not paid heed to their complaints. When Home Times tried to speak to MSEDCL officials, nobody responded to our queries.
