Lights non-functional for weeks, RMK Nagar streets turn dark

The Perungalathur panchayat consists of 15 wards with nearly 20,000 residents and the area is one of the fast-developing locality in the southern suburbs of Chennai. Most of the residents in the area are professionals working for IT companies in Perungalathur and migrant families. The area has many schools and apartment complexes, and resembles a ‘mini Koyembedu’, as the bus terminal to the southern districts is located here.

However, the residents charge that the streetlights have not been functioning for several weeks. They complained that due to the lack of lighting on the streets, it was difficult to walk on the road. According to the people here, office-goers and college students from the neighbourhood, especially the women, have to walk through the dark road at night, which is unsafe.

“Not a single streetlight is functioning at Kanmalai Street, Thanthai Periyar Street, Paul Street, and Prabhakaran Street. As all these streets run parallel, the area looks completely dark,” said Senthil David from RMK Nagar. Though the residents have requested the panchayat to look into the issue many a time, they failed to receive any proper response, he added. When contacted, a Perungalathur town panchayat official, he said that the TNEB officials have disconnected the streetlights as a request for separate wiring for the streetlights has been made. “We have prepared the estimates and the work would be completed soon,” the official said.