Private firm lauded for swift streetlight control during Op Sindoor blackouts in Amritsar

The Amritsar Smart City Limited (ASCL) has written a letter of appreciation to Samudra Lights, a private firm responsible for operating 76,975 LED streetlights in the city, for its prompt and efficient response during the recent emergency blackouts during the Indo-Pak tensions. The blackout was imposed across Amritsar as a precautionary measure following the drone attack by Pakistan after the Pahalgam shooting, and the company managed the situation effectively using its Centralised Control and Monitoring System (CCMS).

Sandeep Singh, in charge of ASCL and Superintending Engineer of the municipal corporation, said, “We acknowledged the services of Samudra because their team followed the administration’s instructions flawlessly during the war-like situation. They were able to switch the lights on and off efficiently as per our directions. Being a border city, such preparedness is essential for the safety and security of our residents. We appreciate the company’s technical capabilities and the dedication of its staff.”

The LED streetlight project, initiated in 2021 under the Smart City Mission, has been implemented in three phases. In the first phase, 66,993 LED lights were installed, followed by 1,638 in the second phase and 8,344 in the third. All these lights are connected to the CCMS panels for centralised operation and monitoring.

Maninder Singh, the Amritsar representative of Samudra, said, “We have installed a total of 1,314 CCMS panels across the city, and more than 97 per cent of the lights are integrated into our wi-fi network. Our company has developed a dedicated cloud-based system to operate the lights remotely. During the blackout, we were able to turn off all streetlights across the city with a single click. It was a critical test of our system, and we are grateful that the administration recognised our efforts.”