Visakhapatnam: The newly-installed LED streetlights in many areas of the city have stopped functioning causing a lot of inconvenience to the public. The administration had claimed that the replacement of old lighting system with LEDs would save energy. Streetlights are yet to show any sign of improvement in the smart city.
GVMC officials have admitted that about 30 per cent of the LED units are not working while at so-me stretches, the LED lig-hts have not been conne-cted to the power supply. Hanumathawaka to PM Palem, BRTS corridor, Sheela Nagar to Gajuwa-ka among some areas where many LED light units are not working. The Chief Minister Da-shboard, however, shows that there are 1,08212 str-eetlights installed in the GVMC area. As per the statistics available on the dashboard on November 21, only 2,380 lights are off with 97.8 per cent lig-hts being on. Vendor Ka-katiya and eSmart are managing the streetlights.
The dashboard also claims that 48 per cent energy is being saved due to the LED lights. “There are many lights not working in our area. It is not only troublesome for pedestrians but the motorists too. The smart city should have all these basic amenities first and later all advanced or hi-fi project,” said M. Ramakrishna, a resident of Arilova. Many a time, the BRTS corridor is plunging into darkness.
