Pune, 5th October 2026: Nearly two years after the sexual assault incident in Bopdev Ghat prompted authorities to improve lighting at isolated and vulnerable locations across Pune, 24 sensitive spots in the city still remain without streetlights.
Following the Bopdev Ghat incident, Pune Police had identified 274 isolated and potentially unsafe locations and asked the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) to install CCTV cameras and ensure adequate lighting at these places.
The issue was recently reviewed during a meeting between the police and civic administration ahead of the visit of the National Commission for Women chairperson to Pune.
According to PMC officials, lighting arrangements have been completed at 165 locations from the list prepared by the police. Some locations already had streetlights before the review.
However, 24 locations are still without proper lighting, leaving dark stretches that can pose safety concerns, particularly for women and other pedestrians. The civic administration has assured that streetlights will be installed at these locations soon.
Some of the locations that continue to face lighting issues include the Pashan-Sutarwadi lake area, the open space behind MITCON College in Balewadi, the old Balewadi octroi post area and parts of the Aundh village riverbed.
The PMC has pointed out that some locations fall under other authorities. The area around Chaturshringi Hill, for example, comes under the Forest Department, while the Pashan water treatment plant is under the civic water supply department. This has created administrative and technical issues in carrying out the lighting work.
Several vulnerable spots are located on privately owned land. While lighting is considered necessary in such areas for public safety, property owners have not always taken steps to install adequate lights.
With 24 locations still awaiting lighting, coordination between the PMC, police, other government departments and private landowners remains important to ensure that identified vulnerable areas do not remain dark.
