Defunct streetlights irk Qamarwari residents

Srinagar, May 5: For over eight months, the residents of Qamarabad Umer Lane in Qamarwari, Srinagar, have been grappling with a persistent streetlight outage, leaving the area in darkness during critical hours.
Locals expressed concerns about their safety particularly due to the presence of stray dogs that roam the streets after dusk and before dawn.
“We can’t even step outside after dark or before sunrise. It is too risky with the streets completely dark and the dogs around,” said Farooq Ahmad, a resident of the area.
He added, “We fear for our safety, especially the safety of our children, who can’t play outside or go to the nearby shop without fear.”
Shabir Ahmad, another local mentioned that the streetlights have been off for more than half a year now. “We have called the authorities numerous times, but no one is responding. It is frustrating and unsafe,” he said, adding that they have also submitted an application to the concerned office of SMC, yet no response has been received.
Another local, Aman, shared similar sentiments, saying, “We do not want to wait for an unfortunate incident to happen before something is done. It is about time the authorities fix this issue. We deserve to feel safe on our own streets.”
Meanwhile, an official when contacted said that the matter has been noted and they will look into it as soon as possible. (KNO)