Dark spots highlight poor state of affairs in Chandigarh

Sandeep Rana

Chandigarh, May 29

Lucrative promises such as ensuring no dark spots, a centralised control and monitoring system for the lighting system as well as timely complaint resolution were made about six years ago when the Municipal Corporation and Energy Efficient Services Limited (EESL) had signed agreements for the replacement of 48,000 existing conventional street lights with LED lamps with a seven-year warranty, but picture is quite different on the ground.

Residents have been complaining about non-functional street lights at several points and no proper complaint redress system.

Chandigarh Tribune made a random check the other day and on Monday night during which lights on several road stretches were found to be non-functional. Some light points were found defunct at Sector 29, 30, 33, 20 and 21; near the Sector 31 bus stop, on road separating Sector 27 and 28, at Sector 19, 27-D, 15; on the Sector 18/19 road and Mani Majra areas. At many points, tree leaves had covered the LEDs, leading to poor lighting on the roads.

Avtar Singh, president of a housing society in Sector 50, said, “Several stretches in our sector have non-functional lights, which is also one of the reasons behind frequent road accidents and petty crimes in the area. There is a light fluctuation issue too. The high mast light in the “kikkar park” is defunct. There is no one to inspect these lights.”

Dr Anish Garg, a spokesperson for the Chandigarh Residents’ Associations Welfare Federation (CRAWFED), said, “Dark spots still exist. Residents had complained to the MC about the non-functional lights in Sector 33-B (for five days) and 33-C (for 15 days), but to no avail.”

Sharing his experience, Col Ravinder Singh (retd), a resident of Sector 33-D, said, “It took me five days to get a non-functional street light fixed with the local councillor’s intervention. A number of lights are still defunct.”

Councillor Gurpreet Singh Gabi said, “Public complaints are not attended to online. Lights are fixed only after councillors’ intervention, and that, too, after the delay of a few days. It is an unplanned system where light supply is maintained by the UT Administration, poles and cables are looked after by the MC and LED light fixtures are taken care of by the EESL. It often creates coordination issues.”

RK Garg, president, Second Innings, said, “Lucrative promises are made in contracts. But, there is no monitoring at all after that. There are no major issues with the northern sectors, while the southern sectors of the city are the worst hit.” According to city-based LR Budania, the issue of lights working during daytime and not at night at certain points is still there. While staff attending calls at the customer care number claim lights will be repaired within 48 hours, it takes several days to do the job. Sometimes, no repairs are carried out at all.

Meanwhile, an EESL officer, preferring anonymity, said, “The problem is not at EESL’s end always. There are different aspects to it. We carry out night patrolling and fix the non-functional points. At a given time, over 95 per cent street lights are working and it is far better than the previous system.”

Municipal Commissioner Anindita Mitra said she would check the facts.

Customer care centre unreliable

According to city-based LR Budania, the issue of lights working during daytime and not at night at certain points is still there. While staff attending calls at the customer care number claim lights will be repaired within 48 hours, it takes several days to do the job. Sometimes, no repairs are carried out at all.

System far better than earlier set-up: Firm

Meanwhile, an EESL officer, preferring anonymity, said, “The problem always is not at EESL’s end. There are several aspects to it. We carry out night patrolling and fix the non-functional points. At a given time, over 95 per cent street lights are working and it is far better than the previous system.”

Unplanned system, poor coordination

Councillor Gurpreet Singh Gabi said, “It is an unplanned system where light supply is maintained by the UT Administration, poles and cables are looked after by the MC and LED light fixtures are taken care of by the EESL. It often creates coordination issues.”