Patients, attendants face hardships; stray dog menace adds to public fear

Aqzar Raheel 

Ganderbal, May 25 (KNZ/TMJ): A major stretch of road outside District Hospital Ganderbal in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district has plunged into darkness due to defunct streetlights, raising serious safety concerns among residents, patients and commuters.

Locals told news agency Kashmir News Zone–The Media Journal that the road outside the hospital remains poorly illuminated during night hours, causing immense inconvenience to pedestrians, attendants and motorists visiting the healthcare facility. They said while several streetlights along the stretch are defunct, several portions of the road remain without any streetlight infrastructure, leaving the area in complete darkness after sunset.

Residents said the situation becomes more alarming during late hours as stray dogs frequently roam around the road, posing a threat to patients, attendants and passersby.

“Patients and attendants are forced to walk through darkness during night hours. The stray dog menace has further heightened fear among people, especially women, elderly patients and those visiting the hospital during emergencies,” a local resident told Kashmir News Zone–The Media Journal.

Locals also said that not everyone owns a vehicle, forcing many people to walk through the dark stretch during night hours.

Several locals said the absence of proper lighting has increased the risk of accidents and created difficulties for emergency movement around the hospital during night hours.

The residents appealed to the concerned authorities, including the Power Development Department and municipal officials, to immediately repair the defunct streetlights and install proper lighting infrastructure in areas where no streetlights exist to ensure public safety and convenience. (KNZ/TMJ)