Several roads and streets in Salt Lake plunge into darkness as soon as the sun sets because the streetlights don’t work.

Residents of several blocks across Sector I, II and III said they think twice before driving or walking down the stretches after dusk.

A 4-km road that connects EM Bypass to Salt Lake along the Eastern Drainage Channel has streetlights at 20 metre intervals but none of them work.

This road — starts from the Chingrighata crossing to EE Block — connects several blocks as well as housing complexes of the township, including the Jal Vayu Vihar and Mahavir Vikas complexes, and KB, KC and IC blocks in Sector III and FF and EE blocks in Sector II.

To add to the worries of the motorists and pedestrians construction materials like concrete blocks, sand and iron rods remain scattered on the sides of the road for the ongoing construction of the Airport-New Garia Metro Railway viaduct.

Dark stretch of road near AD Block in Sector I. Telegraph photo

Apart from this dud cables are strewn along several stretches of the road that make it extremely dangerous for pedestrians and two-wheeler riders.

Similarly several stretches of Broadway, a nearly 3-km artery that connects EM Bypass with Salt Lake, including a 1-km stretch in front of Central Park, have streetlights installed every 20 metre but none of them are functional.

The crater-filled road leading towards Anindita Island from tank number 13 in IB Block does not have a single light that works. Partha Chowdhury, a resident of the block, said the lights were defunct for over two months. “I avoid driving on the stretch at night. My car had a flat tyre after I hit a pothole that I failed to spot in the dark,” said Chowdhury.

Ranojay Paul, a resident of HA Block, also said half the streetlights in their block had become defunct and the others were not bright enough. “The lights that work produce long shadows instead of illuminating the streets," said Paul.

The mayor of the Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation, Krishna Chakraborty, said she would send in a team to make a list of defunct streetlights in Salt Lake and the adjoining areas. “We will send in a team to first conduct a survey and then start the repairs,” said Chakraborty.

Another civic official said the member of te board of administrators, who was in charge of lighting, had been asked to step down.

“The electrical department doesn't have a head now and so all the work is pending,” the official said.

According to him, a project — Alo Amar Alo — was launched to replace all sodium vapour lamps in Salt Lake and its adjoining areas, including Baguiati, airport and parts of Rajarhat, with LED lights.

“But we have not been able to do that yet because of internal problems,” the official added.