Faulty street lights raise safety concerns in Tiruchi

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Faulty and dim street lights on several interior roads in Tiruchi have raised safety concerns among residents, with poor illumination affecting visibility and increasing the risk of accidents and thefts at night.

The problem has been reported in several localities, including K.K. Nagar, Palpannai, Kattur, Alwarthoppu, Tiruverumbur, Khajamalai, Ramachandra Nagar, and Woraiyur. Many street lights installed several years ago have reportedly turned yellow and lost their brightness over time.

The 20W LED lights installed in several areas have proved inadequate to illuminate densely populated residential streets. The Tiruchi Corporation has been replacing these low-intensity fixtures with 40W and 90W LED lights in phases.

Officials said a survey had been conducted to identify locations requiring priority attention. About 840 spots with poor illumination had been identified with residential areas receiving frequent complaints being prioritised for intervention.

According to sources, the Corporation has sought ₹8 crore from the State government to replace around 3,450 street lights. The civic body expects to complete the replacement work over the next few months once the funds are released.

Meanwhile, a shortage of electricians has affected the maintenance of street lights across the city. The Corporation has around 60 electricians, including supervisors, to operate the street lights and attend to complaints and technical faults.

Ideally, each ward should have two electricians — one to climb the pole and carry out repairs and the other to assist. This would require about 130 electricians to cover all 65 wards. However, the existing workforce is insufficient, with two electricians reportedly being assigned to oversee four wards, said K. Sureshkumar, ward councillor.

The shortage has added to the challenges in ensuring the timely repair and maintenance of street lights across the city.

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