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View Full Version : New street lights in Geylang alleys to deter vice activities



irisng
02-11-12, 22:03
By Poon Chian Hui
The Straits Times, Wednesday, Oct 31, 2012

NEW street lights were switched on yesterday along the narrow back alleys of four areas in Geylang, in a bid to deter activities such as prostitution and illegal parking.
In a move that cost more than $200,000, some 32 lights have been put up in the previously dim back lanes of Lorongs 39, 37, 35 and 33.
Installed over four months, it is similar to two other projects in Geylang, with the first started about four years ago. This takes the number of new street lights to 133, said Associate Professor Fatimah Lateef, an MP for Marine Parade GRC.
"We are doing this based on feedback from residents and shops. When it is dark, there is more illegal parking and streetwalkers," she said, adding that residents are afraid to walk along the alleys as a result. "I often walk the area at night - and I can get quite scared sometimes too."
The funding is from the Government's Interim Estate Upgrading Programme. The request came from the Geylang Neighbourhood Committee, which had received many complaints, said chairman Fu Chuan San. She estimates that about 8,000 residents will benefit from the latest light-up.
The new lights are about 3.5m tall - much lower to the ground than the usual 6m-tall lamp posts. Prof Fatimah said: "Based on previous experience, when it is brighter, people don't like to loiter around."
Mr Eric Wong, chairman of the Geylang Serai Citizens Consultative Committee, said he has encountered people who loiter in these back lanes to drink alcohol, making a ruckus into the wee hours. "With the new lights, they may go to coffee shops to drink instead - and that is okay," he said. "It is much better than them lurking in the dark and scaring residents."
Residents of Regal 35 condominium on Lorong 35 hope the lights will put a damper on the vice activities along the street.
Civil servant Albert Sim, 55, said prostitutes started peddling their services outside the condo about four years ago. They could be spotted even at 4am. There were many instances of illegal parking as well.
"We were even prepared to put up our own money to install lights and cameras along the lane," said Mr Sim, who is also chairman of the condo's management committee.
Prof Fatimah said the initiative may be extended to other back lanes.

JAFCO
06-11-12, 14:34
as dengxiaoping said: while when you open the windows to the world you have to let the flies come in.

geylang is still a red light.....howevever bright it may get. unless the govt 'switch it' off overnight....which they can but there are other unintended consequences too. i guess anyone who work in police in this district will be able to shed more 'light' here....

irisng
07-11-12, 12:02
as dengxiaoping said: while when you open the windows to the world you have to let the flies come in.

geylang is still a red light.....howevever bright it may get. unless the govt 'switch it' off overnight....which they can but there are other unintended consequences too. i guess anyone who work in police in this district will be able to shed more 'light' here....

No matter how they light up the place, it is just only a temporary measures, vice can don't stay at these lanes, they can always go to another lanes and hop here and there. It can never be better than shifting the vice to somewhere where there are lesser residents or better still no residents at all, it will be their whole world.:cheers5:

zeamybro
07-11-12, 12:51
I was waiting for my friend at Alijunied MRT on a Sunday night when I see that the vicinity is flooded with countless of foreign workers from china, India and probably Myammar. It was their off day and many were either sitting on the grass patch or loitering around the vicinity. There were also several shops selling stuffs specially meant for the ah tiongs and ah nehs. Most of them look v cheerful prob becos its their off day and they could catch up with folks from their homeland.

Forgive me for being judgemental, but I find the environment very messy and dirty. I m thinking if sg govt were to 'clean-up' geylang and turn it into a residential area, where can these ppl go to? Brothels aside, these ppl still need some place in sg to hangout right?

carbuncle
07-11-12, 13:13
used to be Golden Landmark and Little India. guess space ran out.

suggest building a huge amphitheatre screening bollywood movies (and other cultures ones)

I wouldn't mind going to watch myself. some of the bollywood stuff really very polished and good

leesg123
07-11-12, 22:06
I was waiting for my friend at Alijunied MRT on a Sunday night when I see that the vicinity is flooded with countless of foreign workers from china, India and probably Myammar. It was their off day and many were either sitting on the grass patch or loitering around the vicinity. There were also several shops selling stuffs specially meant for the ah tiongs and ah nehs. Most of them look v cheerful prob becos its their off day and they could catch up with folks from their homeland.

Forgive me for being judgemental, but I find the environment very messy and dirty. I m thinking if sg govt were to 'clean-up' geylang and turn it into a residential area, where can these ppl go to? Brothels aside, these ppl still need some place in sg to hangout right?Kallang MRT also. with the stretch of steamboats, bbq just near by.

irisng
09-11-12, 07:20
Kallang MRT also. with the stretch of steamboats, bbq just near by.

Orchard Road has lots of FW also.

carbuncle
09-11-12, 12:50
can I safely conclude then where there are pros there is good investment potential property?

cmchong77
09-11-12, 21:38
I see the shorter lamp posts in front of the riverside construction, it does help especially when walking back after tapau supper, or when buying stuff from the ntuc or buying durians from the nearby stall.

irisng
10-11-12, 10:09
I see the shorter lamp posts in front of the riverside construction, it does help especially when walking back after tapau supper, or when buying stuff from the ntuc or buying durians from the nearby stall.

Hope that the vice will not go beyond their designated area. Safety and security comes first.