After mid-day intervened, the plight of thousands of residents and commuters on JP Road in Versova, relief instantly arrived, albeit partially. Street lights on one side of the road have been restored, while the opposite stretch continues to remain shrouded in darkness. The arterial road, connecting Seven Bungalows to Yari Road, had been without functional street lights for over six months.
With unfinished trenches, barricades, and dug-up footpaths, the road had turned into a nightly hazard. Pedestrians resorted to walking with mobile flashlights, while motorists navigated through blaring horns and near misses.
The road was in complete darkness (left) for six months. Pic/By Special Arrangement
Following mid-day’s intervention, Versova MLA Haroon Khan visited the site and pulled in the local power supply team for immediate inspection within an hour. By Friday evening, the streetlights on one side of the road were brought back to life. However, the other side — still pitch black — continues to pose a serious safety concern. “I had not recieved any complain from the residents. However, the streetlights on the other side of the road will be functional in two days’ time,” he said.
Local walker Sheldon Aranjo, Dr Prakash Gidwani, a local businessman and activist and Vijay Pandit, a resident
Dr Prakash Gidwani, a local businessman and activist, blamed the chaos on incomplete road and drainage work, barricades covering unfinished patches, and soft trenches dug for laying electric cables for the streetlight network. “People are using their phone torches to walk on the road because the footpaths are completely unusable,” he said.
Residents still navigate dark patches of JP Road despite partial lighting fix
Gidwani recalled seeing high-voltage floodlights installed at certain points along the road. “They stayed on non-stop for three days and nights, then it was back to total darkness,” he added.
Neena Saini, a housewife and long-time resident, pointed out that the only light at night comes from commercial signboards. “Once those are switched off, the entire stretch is pitch dark. Versova starts looking like a remote village,” she said.
One side of JP Road now lit, while the other remains in darkness
She added, “I know of two cases, one involving my housekeeper, where people were hit by rickshaws due to poor visibility. I usually feed stray dogs after midnight, but for the past six months, I’ve felt so unsafe that I now rely on the dogs for a sense of protection.” “The area near Picnic Cottage is still in complete darkness,” she said.
MLA Haroon Khan (in white shirt) talking to electrcity board officials. Pics/Satej Shinde
Vijay Pandit, another resident, described the chaos he witnesses daily. “Every evening, motorists with high beams honk endlessly, trying to find their way through the dark. Even crossing the road has become risky, especially for seniors.” Sheldon Aranjo, a regular walker in the area, said, “Just today, I saw an elderly woman struggling to walk on the road amidst honking vehicles. It’s scary.”
