Chapra: Repair work has commenced on the faulty streetlights in Marhaura town in view of the upcoming Durga Puja festivities. Harishchandra, the Executive Officer (EO) of the Nagar Panchayat, has assured that most of the non-functional streetlights across the town will be repaired by Saptami of Navratri. This initiative is expected to improve lighting conditions on major roads and in various localities during the puja celebrations.

The issue of dilapidated streetlights in the Marhaura Nagar Panchayat area has been raised multiple times in the past. Since the establishment of the Nagar Panchayat, over five crore rupees have been spent in two phases to install lights, including new streetlights on electricity poles, lights on old poles, and high-mast lights. Despite the expenditure of crores on lighting in various wards, a significant number of lights remain out of order due to a lack of regular maintenance.

Consequently, several areas, including parts of the Marhaura-Chapra main road, Marhaura-Amnour SH-73, Thana Road, New Colony Road, Sabzi Market Road, Marhaura High School Road, Station Road, and Ambedkar Road, along with various wards, plunge into darkness at night. This causes considerable inconvenience to pedestrians and motorists. The problem is expected to worsen during Durga Puja with the increased movement of devotees. Local residents have demanded not only the repair of existing faulty lights but also a permanent system for their regular maintenance to ensure that the town's roads remain illuminated despite the substantial investment.