68,000 Street Lights in Vizag are Not Working

Visakhapatnam: Although there are around 1.18 lakh streetlights in the city, people are living in darkness.

GVMC commissioner C.M. Saikanth Varma has told the corporators that the civic body can only monitor 50, 000 and it has no information regarding the remaining 68, 000 lights.

Speaking during the zero-hour in the GVMC council meeting, 9th ward corporator Korukonda Venkataratna Swathi informed about how she was facing problems due to non-functional street lights in her ward.

In an immediate reaction, almost all corporators said that they were all caught in a similar situation with people coming to their homes every day, complaining that there are no lights in their streets.

17th ward corporator Gedela Lavanya said “Even after three and a half years of being in power, I have not been able to ensure that the lights work in my ward. I feel ashamed.”

TD floor leader Pila Srinivas said, "Call the contractor to the council meeting and we will pull him up.”

Mater mayor Golagani Hari Venkata Kumari ordered GVMC commissioner to set up an enforcement committee, which was objected to by Jana Sena, alleging that enforcement committees were corrupt and inept at solving problems. JS corporator Peethala Murthy Yadav demanded a clarification from the commissioner, who said that the contract for maintenance of lights has been given to Bridge and Roof Company India Limited. But its performance is poor.

So far only 50, 000 lights have been brought under the Central Control and Monitoring System (CCMS) and they were all functioning. But the remaining 68,000 lights are yet to be connected to the CCMS boxes. In this background, GVMC is likely to issue fresh notices to the contractor demanding him to come clear on the issue.