Dwarka Police has made a list of the stations with unlit corridors and is pursuing the matter with Delhi Metro and other civic bodies.
A dark stretch in Sector 12
KB Singh, a resident of Sector 18, Dwarka, returns from his office every day between 10-11pm. Besides having to contend with the problem of poor last-mile connectivity at Sector 12 metro station — his stop — he has to also take on the challenge of a completely dark Metro corridor!
And unfortunately, this is not an isolated case.
Metro stations at Sector 14, Sector 13, Sector 12, Sector 9, Sector 10 and Sector 8 offer the same difficulties to commuters.
Swati Singh, a resident of Sector 14, has to call her brother to take her home if she reaches the station after 9 pm.
Ranjit Singh (name changed) was robbed once a couple of years back while going towards his society, Radhika Apartments, in Sector 14. He recounts, “The stretch towards Nirmal Bhartia School is isolated and often dark. It was around 11 pm and I could not see anybody in the dark — all of a sudden, I was attacked. I somehow escaped but they fled with my valuables. I suffered some injuries too, and the mental trauma I underwent is still fresh. It can happen again, right? What are the authorities doing?”
The wide and open metro corridors, along the metro line, are meant to serve as approach roads to societies, but in the absence of proper lighting they have turned into corridors of crime and deep fear.
Rakesh Verma, a resident of Sector 12, concurs. “It’s psychological torture — just walking home from Metro can be a deeply disturbing experience. You feel like somebody is following you all the time, like you are being hunted!”
RWAs have pursued the matter with the police and concerned authorities regularly, but nothing made a difference. Even surveys were carried out from time to time by the DDA, the police and the electricity department.
And again, no results.
Recently, Dwarka Police made a list of stations that require lighting, and is pursuing the matter with the concerned authorities. Dwarka ACP Rajendra Singh said, “We are trying to get the areas properly lit. We have sent a list of dark stretches near stations to both the DMRC and the DDA. We’ll need a little more time on this. But certainly, it’s on our list of to-be-resolved issues. ”
