2 yrs on, city to get 9k extra streetlights for dark spots

Ludhiana: After struggling for more than than two years, the civic officials will finally install the 9,000 additional streetlights across the city. The officials claimed they have finally received the permission from the board of directors in a recent meeting, and they are now waiting for a formal go-ahead, after which the lights will be distributed in the areas.
A senior municipal corporation (MC) official said, “We are only waiting for the minutes of the meeting with the board of directors of Smart City Mission, and after that we will start the distribution of the lights.” He informed that initially, it has been decided to distribute 1,000 lights per MLA, and the areas will be identified accordingly.
Over 1.05 lakh LED streetlights have already been installed in the city, and another 9,000 were required. These additional streetlights were a major issue for the councillors in the previous MC general house as well, as even after repeated demands, the additional lights could not be installed during their tenure.
For more than past two years, the councillors had been holding discussions on these additional streetlights. They had also flagged how the maintenance of the existing lights was not satisfactory and the employees deputed by the firm were not responding in time. It was initially decided to install 15,000 additional lights, but the number was reduced to 9,000 in September last year owing to paucity of funds sanctioned under the Smart City Mission.
Meanwhile, sources revealed that some dark points have already been identified in almost every ward where these additional lights are to be installed. Sources also claimed that the distribution of the streetlights was intentionally delayed, owing to ‘credit war’. But now if the MLAs are still able to get them installed before the MC polls, they could use it in campaigning.
Notably, the replacement of LED streetlights was among the most talked-about projects of the city. The 1.05 lakh ordinary streetlights in the city are to be replaced by LED lights. However, the firm handling the project has created some panels for monitoring of the lights, but they are unable to keep a check on every light in the area.