Sharjah
While paying a visit to a medical centre in the Al Muhaisnah area in Dubai at around 9.30pm, something unusual caught my eye. I noticed that along the entire stretch of this area, in many busy roads, there was not even a single streetlight. This area is also known as Sonapur, one of the largest labour colonies in Dubai. It was even worse for all those labourers who had to come back from work on foot, walking dangerously on the side of the road. The only source of guidance that they had were vehicle headlights.
I spoke to a few workers to confirm whether they were actually facing any problems regarding the issue.
Kamlesh Mauria, who hails from Uttar Pradesh in India, said: “It is extremely dark during the night and very dangerous for us, too. It becomes a challenge for me to walk to my accommodation from the supermarket, which is close by. Our bus drops us quite far as there is construction work going on nearby. Hence, we need to walk the entire distance to our camp, which feels unsafe. Streetlights are a must.”
This is an issue of serious concern and needs to be taken care of immediately as the labourers are facing a lot of difficulty due to this facility being unavailable. In the picture shown, we can clearly see that it becomes extremely dark after hours. This is a problem not only for the labourers, but for drivers as well. Motorists need to be extremely careful while travelling along the stretch of road, because it is hard to spot pedestrians.
Mohammad Ameen, a worker who hails from Rajasthan, India, stated: “In the middle of the night, when there are hardly any cars, it is pitch black. We need to return to our accommodation while the road is still busy. Otherwise, it is hard to see anything. I have been here for eight months now and nothing has changed.”
I strongly urge the concerned authorities to take immediate action on this issue as it is a huge cause for unease, for pedestrians and motorists. I am really concerned and through Gulf News, I want to raise this issue and hope that the authorities will take immediate action.
— The reader is a student based in Sharjah.
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Editor’s note: The reader’s concerns were raised with the Dubai Municipality. However, despite repeated reminders, they failed to respond.
