Cochin Smart Mission Limited (CSML) is set to embark on a ₹40-crore project to replace 38,000 street lights with LED lights in the Kochi Corporation area. The project aims to improve the quality of lighting on an estimated number of roads that have poor illumination, due to dysfunctional or non-existent street lights.
The new LED lights and their fixtures will be installed by the firm that CSML will identify shortly. The firm will have to ensure the operation and maintenance of the lights for a period of five years to ensure their proper functions. CSML has already installed LED lights on roads that it re-developed in the city hub and West Kochi.
Each lamp pole will have an energy meter, charging the power tariff in proportion to its monthly consumption. If any lamp post is found to be dysfunctional, it can be remotely detected through the Integrated Command Control and Communication Centre (IC-4), using a dedicated app. The project aims to help the Kochi Corporation cut expenses on power and capital investment, which can be recovered in around five years.
The initiative follows long-standing concerns with the city’s poor lighting, particularly on the Edappally-Aroor NH 66 bypass, where many street lights are not functioning. The street lighting inadequacy has led to the formation of rubbish dumps and become a haven for miscreants, as well as endangering the safety of road users.
T.N. Pratapan, a senior citizen and RTI activist, recently staged a solo protest about the darkness that engulfs the city and especially Vyttila Mobility Hub after dusk. Furthermore, during rain, these areas are prone to flooding, making life difficult for commuters and pedestrians. The initiative hopes to tackle this issue, which has been attributed mainly to the civic agencies’ apathy towards the upkeep and poor coordination with the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB).
