Staff Reporter
DIMAPUR, AUG 30 (NPN): Inadequate street lighting along major stretches of Dimapur and the Dimapur-Chümoukedima four-lane road has raised safety concerns among motorists and pedestrians, with poor visibility making night-time travel hazardous.
Several key roads and junctions in Dimapur remain poorly illuminated, with some stretches having only one or two streetlights and others virtually none. Areas cited include DC Court Junction via Dhobinala, Tajen Ao Road, Nyamo Lotha Road, MP Road, GS Road, Hokishe Sema Road, particularly the Khermahal stretch, Old Dhansiri Bridge (Hotel Tragopan) via Burma Camp and Purana Bazar, and Deluxe Point via Supermarket and Purana Bazar.
Motorists said the danger increases when approaching vehicles use high-beam headlights. The glare can temporarily impair vision, making pedestrians and other vehicles difficult to spot. Pedestrians wearing dark clothing are particularly hard to see on unlit stretches and may become visible only at close range, leaving drivers little time to react. Motorists said such conditions have resulted in near-misses and accidents.
They also expressed concern that poorly lit areas could facilitate theft and other anti-social activities, especially during late-nights, and said adequate lighting would improve both road safety and public security.
The concern extends to the Dimapur-Chümoukedima four-lane road, where several stretches remain inadequately illuminated. While some portions have streetlights, intermittent coverage leaves other sections completely dark.
Motorists urged authorities to install lights along unlit stretches and repair and regularly maintain non-functional ones. They also appealed to drivers to use high beams responsibly and switch to low beam when approaching oncoming vehicles.
They maintained that road widening alone cannot ensure safer transportation without adequate safety infrastructure, calling for urgent measures to provide continuous and functional street lighting along densely populated and high-traffic stretches.