Chandigarh’s Sector 34 coaching hub is set to receive 11 high-mast lights after students reported navigating dark roads, parking areas and pedestrian routes with mobile phone torches after evening classes. Six lights are expected to become operational within two to three days and the remaining five within six days, according to area councillor Prem Lata.
The sector attracts students preparing for NEET, JEE, UPSC, SSC, banking and law entrance examinations. Around 50 coaching institutes serve nearly 10,000 teenagers, college graduates and recruitment-exam candidates, many of whom travel after sunset to bus stops, paying guest accommodation and adjoining sectors.
A visit to the area found that illumination after about 7.30 pm was largely limited to corridors and some commercial establishments. Students were seen walking through poorly lit market stretches and parking lots, with some staying on calls with friends or family while making their way home. An 18-year-old student said several dark spots made walking alone after classes intimidating. Students also pointed to people drinking in parking areas and smoking along roadsides as factors contributing to their discomfort, although they said they were not aware of any specific incidents in the area.
The affected locations include the stretch outside Mukat Hospital and Heart Institute in Sector 34-A, alongside Dakshin Marg between Sectors 34 and 21, and the parking area near Piccadily Square. Students travelling towards Zirakpur and other parts of Chandigarh, Mohali, Panchkula and nearby towns use these routes during their evening commute.
Lighting is not the only difficulty on the route outside Mukat Hospital. During the rainy season, the pathway becomes waterlogged and can take hours to clear. The path is also unpaved, making it harder for pedestrians to navigate in darkness and after rainfall. These conditions can force students to take longer detours to reach nearby transport points and residential areas.
Residents said the issue had also affected students walking towards Sector 21. Sanjiv Kumar, a Sector 21 resident, said students earlier had to pass through the park near Ishwar Singh Dev Samaj School, where lighting was also inadequate. According to Kumar, lights were restored there after repeated requests to officials.
Prem Lata said around ₹90 lakh had been spent on installing the 11 high-mast lights. The planned installations include two locations near the library, two behind The Toy Hotel, one outside the BSNL office, one in the Piccadily parking area and one near a gurdwara.
Until the installations are switched on, students returning from evening classes will continue to rely on phone torches along stretches where street lighting is expected to provide visibility. The councillor’s stated timeline places the next milestone at the commissioning of the six lights expected to become operational within two to three days, followed by the remaining five within six days.
