Kozhikode Corporation may hand over street lights to Uralungal

KOZHIKODE: More than 32,000 street lights in the city would be taken care of by Uralungal Labour Contract Co-operative Society (ULCCS) for a period of eight years if the discussion the city corporation is holding with the Vadakara-based society reaches a conclusion. The corporation will sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with society for the maintenance of the street lights after reaching an agreement and obtaining the approval of the corporation council and the director board of ULCCS.

Once materialised, the agreement would help the corporation resolve the headache of faulty street lights which frequently marred the council meetings in the past. Ahead of finalising the agreement, the corporation council will conduct talks with ULCCS and will also conduct a survey in order to finalise the number of street lights in the city limits. Corporation deputy mayor Meera Darsak said that the corporation has already got approval from the KSEB and the state government to go ahead with the plan.

The ULCCS has already conducted talks with the mayor about the implementation of the project and will submit the detailed project report soon. This is the first time ULCCS is entering into a major electrical maintenance project. Earlier, it had undertaken the street lights constriction at Arayidathupalam as part of their KSUDP project. 

“The talks are now at an initial stage and we will prepare a detailed project report based on the survey,” said V.K. Bijesh, head of ULCCS electrical wing.   The street lights would be equipped with GPS system which would help the operator identify faulty street lights. UL Technologies will be in charge of developing the software part of the project once the MoU signed.

Residents demand immediate repair of street lights

Residents in the city corporation have demanded that the civic body get the dysfunctional street lights repaired as the dark alleys increase the danger posed by the ever-increasing number of stray dogs and anti-social elements. The threat is looming on the city outskirts including the coastal areas, they say.  “The repair of street lights should be done on priority basis by the civic body,” Residents' Apex Council of Kozhikode president T.P Rajan said.

“We are collecting details from various individual residents’ associations and shall take up the issue with authorities.” Mr Rajan welcomed the corporation’s move to hand over maintenance of the street lights to the ULCCS. “The ULCCS is a reputed and responsible organisation which proved its efficiency in past,” he said. Meanwhile, the corporation has started replacing faulty tube lights with LED bulbs as its plans to do away with tube lights in the future.

The residents who welcomed the move, however, said there are instances where the newly-fixed LED bulbs are going dysfunctional. “Half of the newly installed LED bulbs are not functioning in my ward,” said Malappramaba councillor K.C. Shobitha. “We have received a circular from public works committee to give the list of faulty LED bulbs.” Ms Shobitha also welcomed bringing the ULCCS in to maintain the street lights. “However, the corporation should ensure that it should follow the norms while giving contract to a single party without tender,” she said.