Ludhiana, Jan. 12 -- With large stretches of several city localities plunged into darkness, residents of Gurdev Nagar, Dugri, Haibowal and Barewal Road have raised concern over damaged and non-functional street lights, saying the problem has worsened during the peak winter season and is posing a serious risk to public safety.

Locals alleged that poorly lit streets have heightened fears of thefts and robberies, particularly during late evening and early morning hours, besides causing inconvenience to commuters and pedestrians.

Subhash Monga, a resident of Gurdev Nagar, said street lights in his area had not been working for the past three days. "The situation is quite worrying, especially in winter when darkness sets in early. I tried re...