Noida: A nearly 2km stretch of service road branching off from the third exit along the Noida Expressway and connecting Sectors 90-93 to Sectors 136, 148 and 168 has become a challenge for commuters, with the entire stretch remaining in darkness after sunset. None of the streetlights along the road is operational, leaving motorists with poor visibility. Passengers travelling by autos and cabs also say they feel unsafe taking this stretch after dark.The problem extends to nearby Sectors 82, 85 and 93, where several service lanes and roadside stretches have remained without adequate lighting for months. The Pusta area near Sector 168 is also completely dark. With winter setting in and daylight hours shrinking, residents have urged Noida Authority to repair the lights before the lack of visibility leads to an accident.“I was travelling in an autorickshaw via the service road. It was pitch dark and quite dangerous,” a resident of Sector 168 told TOI.Several other parts of the city have reported similar problems. In Sector 51, streetlights outside Meghdootam Park had remained non-functional for around one and a half months, but were fixed on Tuesday evening.Sanjeev Kumar, general secretary of the Sector 51 RWA, said a cable fault caused by excavation work had left the lights out. He added that around 20 lights surrounding the Children’s Park had also been non-functional for two months, despite repeated complaints to Noida Authority’s electricity department.“It appears that the Noida Authority is unable to maintain the lights it installed, which is unacceptable,” Kumar said.Residents have also flagged delays in repairs. The Authority removed 12 streetlights for maintenance shortly before Diwali, but they have not been reinstalled weeks later. While some stretches have Tata-installed lights, residents said several installations maintained by the Authority continue to malfunction, particularly along kutcha tracks.In Sector 40, around 12 streetlights are out of order, including those along arterial roads and service lanes. Mohinder Singh, general secretary of the Sector 40 RWA, said the district market, spread across nearly three acres, also remains unlit.“The market is completely dark. Some pole lights need to be installed to illuminate the area. Theft of streetlights has also become a problem in the sector, which needs the attention of the Noida Authority and Tata,” he said.Sector 43 has reported non-functional streetlights as well as three high-mast lights, which have remained out of order for more than two months, said RWA member Yogesh K Sharma.In Sector 105, around 50 streetlights across Blocks A, B, C and D are affected, according to Deepak Sharma, president of the Sector 105 RWA. He said residents had repeatedly complained about the problem, but repairs remained pending even during Diwali.Complaints have also come from Sector 56, where several lights in C Block have remained non-functional despite repeated requests for repairs. Suresh Sharma, general secretary of the Sector 56 RWA, wrote to Noida Authority’s executive engineer, seeking immediate intervention and accountability from the officials concerned.In his letter, Sharma said the lack of lighting had left several parts of the block inadequately illuminated, putting residents, pedestrians and other road users at risk, particularly during late hours. He said repeated complaints to the junior engineer had not resulted in repairs or a clear response from the Authority.Other reported problem spots include the stretch behind Spectrum Mall and the road in front of Aims Golf Avenue 2 in Sector 75, where streetlights are not working, said Davinder Paul Singh, deputy general manager of IGL and a resident of the society. Residents of B Block in Rajat Vihar, Sector 62, have also complained about non-functional lights.Noida Authority said it would take up the pending repairs. RP Singh, general manager of the Authority’s electrical and maintenance department, said tree branches were obstructing lights in some areas and needed to be pruned.“I recently inspected the stretch from Sector 126 to Advant. The poles in the area are very high, and the lights are hidden behind trees. Tree pruning is required at several locations, which is affecting illumination. We will get the non-functional lights repaired soon,” he said.
