The Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) proudly oversees an extensive network of streetlights, but for the city’s motorists, darkness and danger are increasingly becoming the norm on countless stretches of road after sunset. The promised efficiency of the city’s vast LED street light project is often overshadowed by the pathetic state of maintenance, transforming a simple nighttime commute into a harrowing ordeal.

The Dangerous Darkness
Reports and resident complaints paint a grim picture across all parts of the city—from upscale areas like Jubilee Hills and Banjara Hills to busy main roads and inner colony streets in Kukatpally, Nampally, and beyond.
* Widespread Malfunction: Large numbers of streetlights, sometimes up to 10% of the total 5.5 lakh lights, are frequently reported as non-functional, creating pitch-dark stretches. For two-wheeler riders and pedestrians, these unlit areas pose a severe risk of accidents and elevate concerns about personal safety and crime.
* The ‘On-and-Off’ Problem: Beyond complete outages, many lights are either excessively dim, flicker erratically, or, ironically, remain illuminated during the day due to faulty timers—a clear sign of poor maintenance and wasted energy.
* Pothole Hazard: With the city’s monsoon-worn roads and unlit streets, drivers are forced to navigate dangerously: potholes become invisible traps, drastically increasing the risk of vehicle damage and serious accidents.

A Cascade of Civic Failure
The root cause of this city-wide blackout lies squarely in the maintenance and bureaucratic failures of the civic body.
* Contractual Limbo: The core issue has been the lapse of the maintenance contract with the previous service provider, Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL). With no new agency immediately appointed, the GHMC is struggling to handle the extensive repair work directly, leading to a massive backlog of complaints.
* The Complaint Black Hole: While the GHMC receives an overwhelming number of complaints annually, the ground reality is a substantial delay in resolution. Residents often complain that even after lodging grievances through official apps or helplines, streets can remain dark for weeks or even months.
* Funding and Logistics: Delayed payments to contractors and a reported lack of spare parts in local GHMC stores further compound the problem, crippling the ability of repair teams to respond promptly.

The High-Beam Hazard: A Symptom of the Problem
The direct consequence of poor street illumination is a secondary, but equally dangerous, problem: the rampant misuse of high-beam headlights by motorists.

Faced with a dark road, drivers instinctively switch to high beams to improve their own visibility.

However, this creates a temporary blinding effect for oncoming traffic, drastically reducing reaction time and depth perception. This choice—between navigating a dark road and unintentionally blinding others—highlights the severity of the infrastructure failure.

Experts and accident data increasingly point to this “high-beam havoc” as a major contributing factor to nighttime road accidents.

The Urgent Call for Light
Hyderabad, a global IT hub and a major metropolitan city, deserves a safe and well-lit infrastructure. The time for stop-gap measures is over.

The GHMC must prioritize the finalization of a long-term, accountable maintenance contract with a clear framework, geo-tagging, and a mandate for quick response times. Until the civic body addresses the underlying maintenance crisis, the city’s roads will continue to be a dangerous, unlit terrain where every night drive is a game of chance.

V.C. Sajjanar, a seasoned 1996-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, has taken charge as the Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad City, with a clear mandate to address the city’s complex challenges, particularly in traffic management and crime reduction.

Known for his firm stance on law enforcement and a background that includes key roles such as Commissioner of Cyberabad Police and Managing Director of the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC), his appointment is seen as the ushering in of a new era of proactive policing.

Navigating the Concrete Jungle: Tackling Hyderabad’s Traffic
Hyderabad, a burgeoning metropolitan hub, faces perennial challenges with traffic congestion and road safety. Commissioner Sajjanar has highlighted a zero-tolerance policy towards traffic violations, signaling a determined effort to restore order on the city’s roads.
* Strict Enforcement: He has mandated strict action against violations, especially drunken driving, minor driving, wrong-route movement, and dangerous driving.
* Scientific Study & Infrastructure: Sajjanar has ordered the formation of special teams to conduct a scientific study on U-turns to optimize flow and has announced the establishment of a Traffic Command Control Center Protocol for improved management and coordination.
* Convergence Meetings: To ensure a multi-departmental approach to traffic problems, the Commissioner has initiated regular Convergence Meetings with officials from all relevant departments.
* Accident Response: Traffic officials have been directed to promptly inspect accident sites to ensure thorough investigation and to inform future preventative measures.
These initiatives focus on both punitive measures and scientific planning to reduce congestion and improve road safety across the city.

Cutting Down Crime: Strategies for a Safer City
In his mission to reduce crime, Commissioner Sajjanar has introduced the “People Welfare Policing” (PWP) model, which emphasizes safety, service, and proactive protection, with a strong focus on vulnerable groups and emerging crime types.
* Prioritizing Vulnerable Groups: A key pillar of his strategy is a zero-tolerance approach to crimes against women and children, ensuring strict legal action and prompt response to complaints.
* Cracking Down on High-Impact Crime: The Commissioner has stressed the need to crack down on serious offences, including drug abuse, street crime, online gaming, and betting. He ordered the imposition of the PD Act (Preventive Detention Act) on those involved in serious offences.
* The Cyber Simbha Initiative: Recognizing the rapid rise in digital offenses, a major push has been given to curb cybercrime. Sajjanar has launched the ‘Cyber Simbha’ volunteer campaign to educate the public, aiming to have a cyber-safety volunteer in every household. This initiative emphasizes self-awareness and quick reporting within the “golden hour” of a fraud.
* Enhancing Investigation and Conviction: Officials are directed to respond immediately to all complaints, register FIRs (First Information Reports) promptly, and focus on the meticulous collection of technical evidence to increase the Conviction Rate.

Sajjanar has made it clear that Station House Officers (SHOs) are responsible for increasing surveillance on rowdy sheeters and habitual offenders to prevent crimes within their jurisdiction. His dedication and focus on citizen-centric reforms mark his tenure as a determined effort to ensure peace and safety for Hyderabad’s citizens.