GURUGRAM: Civic guardians seem to have finally woken up to the need for lighting up dark streets across the city, a long-awaited move that is likely to help instil a sense of security in citizens, especially children and women, who often dread to venture outside after the sundown.The Municipal Corporation of Gurgaon (MCG) has prepared a plan to install 54,908 streetlights , including 406 high-masts, to make city roads brighter and safer for commuters.Under the Rs 34.25-crore project, the corporation proposes to install LED lights in all 36 civic wards Huda sectors and HSIIDC industrial areas.While total 13,115 streetlights will be installed in Huda sectors and 1,218 lamps will come up in HSIIDC Phase 1-4, the rest of the streetlights will be placed across MCG wards. Currently, there are over 10,000 streetlights in the city. There are plans to replace the existing street bulbs with LED lights.Civic officials claimed that the use of LED lights would help save 19.71MU of energy annually."There is an urgent need to make the city brighter. Streetlights will definitely make the streets safer, and citizens, especially women and children, will feel safe. We have, therefore, proposed installation of over 54,000 streetlights," MCG commissioner Uma Shankar told TOI.Shankar, however, added it would take around eight-nine months to complete the project. "The proposal will be submitted to the state government next week. We hope to get an approval within two-four months and execute the project in about eight months," he explained.Residents appreciated the move, stressed on the need for better management and regular maintenance of streetlights. "The proposal is certainly appreciable. However, there is a need for better upkeep. For example, a centralised control room can be set up for real-time monitoring and fault detection so that the corporation or the electricity board can repair defunct streetlights at the earliest," said Suparna Das, a road safety expert.Sanjeev Saxena, another road safety expert and a resident of Sector 45, said well-lit roads would help bring down cases of road accidents and eve-teasing. "Adequate light on roads can reduce chances of accidents to about 50%. Also, petty crimes such as chain-snatching and eve-teasing can also be checked. I am happy that something is finally happening in this regard," he said.

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