UAQ residents deal with dark roads, fear accidents

UAQ residents voice their concerns over unlit lampposts

Residents of Umm Al Quwain have voiced their concerns over the unlit lampposts in some arterial roads in the emirate urging the bodies concerned to take quick action for road users' safety.
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"The lampposts, though installed six years back in a number of major roads and residential districts here, they are still unlit and have not had power supplied yet," they said.
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Saeed Salem, Emirati, said they have repeatedly contacted the bodies concerned to supply power to these lampposts, but in vain.
"These lights are so critical for the safety of  road users, particularly at night when it becomes too hard to avoid collision with stray animals,  which unexpectedly cross the roads of the emirate."
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Malik-ul-Zaman, a Pakistani, said these lights are also important to avoid running over the people walking or jogging by the roadside. "It is so simple and would not cost too much to supply power to these already installed lampposts."
Essam Mohammed, a Sudanese resident, said that some drivers suffer from poor vision, and cannot see the people or animals crossing the road at night, clearly. "Lighting up these roads will protect those drivers and other road users from meeting with gruesome accidents."
Accident: Asian woman killed as car rams into lamppost
Mustafa Abdullah, an Emirati, said four cars collided with the road sidewalk on one of these unlit roads in a single night. "I saw them. The mishap took place on one of the roads at the Salma area that leads to the Shaikh Zayed road in Umm Al Quwain."
Some drivers almost ran over stray animals in the same area, he added. "Ramming into a stray camel is so dangerous, and has reportedly killed many people in Umm Al Quwain and in the nearby emirates as was the case with the young Emirati man who was recently killed after running into four stray camels which were killed as well."
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Salah Amer, another Emirati resident, said the government has paid quite an amount to build and develop these roads, and install hundreds of lampposts to ensure smooth traffic flow and ease the movement of transport across the country. "These roads are still unlit for no reason."
Mansour Ali, a resident of Umm Al Quwain, said the road that connects the Salma area with the Shaikh Zayed road is so critical and one of the oldest in the emirate. "However, it is still unlit despite being so important, particularly as it saves time and distance."
The lampposts are installed, the electric cables are connected, and the lamps are fitted, he added. "The only thing missing is power, and that can be easily supplied."
Sherif Al Wakeel, Egyptian resident, said these lights add to the beauty and serenity of the emirate which is witnessing massive expansions. "They are also inevitable for boosting safety and security."
ahmedshaaban@khaleejtimes.com

• Umm Al Quwain