Chandigarh, Sept. 6 -- Poorly lit streets across the city have become a daily ordeal for residents, with non-functional street lights causing inconvenience and raising safety concerns. From dimly lit internal roads and cycle tracks to stretches of major markets, the problem is widespread and was also flagged by councillors in the recent municipal corporation (MC) House meeting. Residents say that inadequate lighting has made commuting unsafe in the city. Many residents also link the poor state of street lighting to a rise in accidents and petty crime. Lt Col Ran Singh Rana, a resident of Sector 28, said, "Streetlights across the city are not functioning, and this directly increases risks for commuters and pedestrians. Dim lights make it difficult to spot potholes or obstructions. Despite repeated complaints, key stretches such as Madhya Marg near the SBI Local Head Office in Sector 17, the road dividing Sectors 17 and 18, as well as Sector 27/28, remain dark. Even the cycle track lights have been out for over a year. Sometimes, the lights are not switched on at all until residents complain. This shows how outdated and inefficient the system has become." Hitesh Puri, president of the Chandigarh Residents Association Welfare Federation (CRAWFED), said, "The absence of proper lighting makes it unsafe to step out after dark. Officials often say replacement parts are not available in the department, but how can a modern city run short of bulbs or small fittings? Dark parks and back lanes discourage community activities, and residents are left feeling vulnerable. The city deserves a reliable and prompt maintenance system." Neha Mishra, a resident of Sector 21, said, "Despite regular complaints, it takes months for the authorities to repair even a single light. Poor visibility on essential roads puts cyclists and pedestrians at greater risk as they fail to spot potholes or obstructions. Women and senior citizens especially feel unsafe venturing out after dusk, fearing thefts or harassment. The delay in basic maintenance is unacceptable. Even crucial public places, like around Panjab University, PGI and even GMSH-16 are completely dark in the evenings." The MC officials, during the recent House meeting, informed councillors that a citywide survey of non-functional lights is being conducted. Tenders have already been floated to procure new streetlights and repair materials until a new agency is finalised to handle the city's streetlight maintenance. Currently, the city has nearly 60,000 streetlights, of which about 55,000 fall under the municipal corporation's jurisdiction. These include 40,000 on internal and dividing roads and another 15,000 in parks, green belts, open spaces, and parking lots. The Chandigarh administration's engineering department manages the remaining 5,000 lights on city roads. It is pertinent to mention that MC is planning to overhaul the city's street lighting system by linking over 55,000 lights to the city's Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) in Sector 17. The centralised system will enable real-time monitoring of streetlights, ensuring faster repairs, timely maintenance and better illumination across neighbourhoods. The new lights will offer higher brightness even at 100 lumens per watt, which will be better than the existing LED lights....