For months now, women residents of Vartak Nagar in Thane West avoid venturing out of their homes after sunset
The unlit road stretch at Vartak Nagar, Thane West. Pic/ Sameer Markande
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For months now, women residents of Vartak Nagar in Thane West avoid venturing out of their homes after sunset. The reason: the road stretch that connects the main road to their buildings has been in complete darkness. In recent times, the area, they claimed, has become a haven for miscreants, druggies and petty criminals.
Following a spate of chain-snatching and harassment incidents, the residents also approached the police and civic authorities, but all their pleas have gone unheard. The locality is home to thousands of families, who are living in transit accommodations offered by civic authorities, as their homes are being redeveloped.
"If we have to go out in the night, we can't leave tension-free. The building managers have been told to at least install make-shift lights in the locality, but nobody has done anything about it yet," said Tejaswini Goni, one of the residents of Dosti Rentals.
Shyam Sonar, a social activist from the locality, has written more than one letter to the BMC, requesting to resolve the issue, but is still to hear from the department. "It is interesting to see how the adjacent road, which houses private complexes, has streetlights, but this specific patch remains neglected. Is this because residents living here are on transit?" Sonar asked.
Sandip Malvi, PRO of the Thane Municipal Corporation, said, "We will immediately look into the issue and do the needful."
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