Mumbai's Dahisar East skywalk left in darkness for two months, residents forced to use phone torches

Just outside Dahisar East railway station the connected skywalk has been in complete darkness for the past two months due to nonfunctioning lights Residents say they are forced to rely on mobile phone torches to navigate the stretch at night They also allege that people drink smoke and create a nuisance on the skywalk making it unsafe for women children and senior citizensRinku Dave a teacher from Dahisar EastThe skywalk nearly 500 metres long is used daily by thousands of commuters and locals travelling between Dahisar station and SV Road Residents claim that since the lights stopped working two months ago many people have stopped using it altogether They say the structure meant to provide safe passage over busy market roads has instead turned into a hazardThe Dahisar East skywalk has had no functioning lights for two months pushing commuters to use mobile flashlights at night even as new skywalks are constructed elsewhere in Mumbai on 07122025 PicNimesh DaveRinku Dave IT assistant teacher at Poorna Prajna Education Centre said the lack of lighting has completely undermined the skywalkrsquos purpose ldquoA skywalk without lights becomes unsafe especially during evening and night hours Dark pathways create fear and discomfort for our students and us too We feel insecure using them because poor visibility can lead to accidents such as tripping falling or missing steps Additionally dark and isolated skywalks may invite incidents like theft harassment or other antisocial activities As a result instead of using the skywalk we choose to cross the road directly which increases the risk of accidentsrdquoShe added that authorities must take responsibility for upkeep ldquoAuthorities must understand that constructing infrastructure is not enough Regular maintenance and safety provisions are equally important We have informed all students not to use this skywalkrdquoJyoti Trivedi who frequently visits the area says she stopped using the skywalk after nuisance activities increased in the dark PicsBy Special ArrangementResidents living nearby also say the stretch has become a nuisance spot Prachi Patel a teacher who lives opposite the skywalk said ldquoThis skywalk is in front of my society Daily I see people smoking drinking alcohol taking drugs and more This skywalk is not safe at all Earlier I used it every day but after the lights stopped working I feel too unsafe I do not use it anymore The BMC should fix the lights on the skywalk which will help peoplerdquoFrequent users of the stretch share similar concerns Jyoti Trivedi who visits her mother in the area said she has stopped using the skywalk entirely ldquoMy mother lives in this area and I regularly visit her so I used this skywalk often But for the last two months I have stopped using it People are drinking alcohol on it Couples are also seen standing there I personally think the skywalk is unsafe even for couples It takes only three to five minutes to cross it but it does not feel safe at allrdquoPreeti Hrishikesh Kotian a local teacherResidents also want regular policing and surveillance restored Preeti Hrishikesh Kotian a teacher said ldquoFor the last two months there have been no lights on the skywalk Police should regularly patrol this stretch and take action We need this skywalk to be free from nuisance There are no CCTV cameras here which could help improve safetyrdquo500 mtsLength of the skywalk