CHENNAI: Poorly lit roads are a perennial problem for Balaji Street residents in Perungalathur, as anti-social elements use the darkness putting residents under risk.
The residents said that the street ironically turned even darker after the street lamps were replaced with the LEDs. Balaji Street is located in one of the most important roads of the locality under the Tambaram corporation. The street has a Church, a post office and a private school. Most of the people who get down from the Perungalathur railway station have to return to their houses via Balaji street, making poor lighting a problem for scores of commuters.
As the street remains dark at night the anti-socials allegedly use the stretch to consume liquor and take drugs on a daily basis.
Especially women find it challenging to cross the stretch as they find the darkness unsafe. Residents accuse that there had been incidents where women were subjected to abuse and at chain snatching by anti-social elements taking advantage of the darkness.
Sovin who lives in the locality said that the women and young girls who visit the church he belongs to are afraid to walk through Balaji Street since men consume liquor on the corner of the street and abuse them. “Many times we have filed complaints with police and the local body but to no avail,” he said.
When contacted, an official from the Tambaram Corporation said that they would look into the issue and take steps to improve the lighting in the street soon.