Mysore/Mysuru: Streetlights on one portion of the Outer Ring Road (ORR) became functional last evening and the brightness spread by the LED lights provided relief to the commuters and residents who had to bear with perpetual darkness till now.

Over 50 percent of the lights were switched on by Mysuru-Kodagu MP Pratap Simha and Narasimharaja MLA Tanveer Sait. The remaining lights will be switched on by Dec. 10 and by the end of December, the entire 42.5-km stretch will glow bright with additional 20 high-mast lights with surrounding LED bulbs.

Till now, the entire Ring Road was a haven for criminals who used darkness to their advantage and used to target commuters who returned to their homes from far away destinations during the middle of the night.

So much was the fear that even taxis and autorickshaws refused to drop passengers to the areas along the Ring Road after 10 pm. Two-wheeler riders had to travel on the stretch fearing for their life and safety.

A majority of the crimes including waylaying of commuters used to take place on the Ring Road and the dark stretch was an easy getaway for criminals to reach the city outskirts without any hassles, leaving no trace.

Many vacant places along the dark stretch had become a favourite place for miscreants to indulge in illegal activities including alcohol and drug abuse. Adding to the menace is the mushrooming of wine stores along the road where people sit inside their vehicles and throw out bottles after consuming liquor.

Expressing happiness over the LED lighting system, MLA Tanveer Sait said that there was a desperate need to illuminate the entire stretch. “The stretch was prone to electric wire thefts and till now, the lighting system could not be implemented fully. A majority of people who come from Bengaluru use this road to reach their homes and the road connects many life-saving hospitals. Now, a part of the project is completed and very soon, people can travel safely here,” he said.