Ongoing tussle between NMC-MahaMetro puts citizens in a spot  

 

The main west side entrance of Nagpur Railway Station may be glowing in tricolour lights after its redevelopment, but the road that brings thousands of passengers to Ganesh Tekdi Road remains in darkness. Streetlights on the entire stretch in front of the station’s main gate have not been working since last 3-4 months, informed people affected by the apathy. While the station building, parking and the new cable-stayed bridge on the west side are brightly illuminated, Tekdi Road carriageway outside the boundary wall remains enveloped in darkness.

 

The main station building on the right glows in pink and orange lights with ‘Nagpur’ shining bright on the top, but the heritage black poles on both sides of the road leading to the main entrance are off. Only 2-3 poles on the far end were working. Passengers arriving at the west side with trolley bags are forced to jump over the divider and cross the dark, wet road amid speeding autos and e-rickshaws. One decorative heritage pole near the main west side wall is dangerously tilted, hanging only by its wires, posing a threat to pedestrians entering the station. On the opposite side, small vendors run the stalls under battery lights.

 

These streetlights on the west side approach were affixed by MahaMetro during road widening. After completion, the asset was to be handed over to NMC’s Electrical Department. MahaMetro claims handover is done, NMC is yet to officially take over. When ‘The Hitavada’ tried to contact officials of MahaMetro and NMC Electrical Department for their version, there was no response. For a city that projects itself as the Second Capital, inability of two agencies to ensure proper lighting in front of its main west side entrance is a glaring failure.