Sun Mar 30 16:33:09 UTC 2025: **Puducherry Bypass Plunged into Darkness Despite Increased Traffic**
PUDUCHERRY, March 30, 2025 – The newly opened Arumparthapuram bypass in Puducherry, intended to alleviate traffic congestion, is posing a significant safety hazard due to the complete absence of streetlights along much of its length. Residents and commuters report dangerous driving conditions after 6:30 PM, resulting in several accidents. The lack of illumination is particularly problematic given the bypass’s multiple curves and increasing traffic volume, spurred by a recent surge in real estate development in the area.
While the Public Works Department (PWD) assures that streetlights will be installed once ongoing roadworks are completed, residents are demanding immediate temporary lighting solutions to mitigate the risk of further accidents. Local resident S. Prabhagaran highlighted the urgent need for safer nighttime conditions, emphasizing the difficulties faced by drivers navigating the poorly lit highway. An urban planner criticized the lack of streetlights as a fundamental oversight in the project’s planning, asserting that lighting should be a standard component of any new road construction.
The PWD maintains that the illumination issue is temporary and will be resolved shortly. However, until streetlights are installed, the Arumparthapuram bypass remains a dangerous stretch of road for drivers and pedestrians alike.
First Piper 