Chennai to Spend ₹94.10 Crore on Street Light and High Mast Maintenance
The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has approved a ₹94.10 crore project to undertake the maintenance of 3.01 lakh street lights and 507 high mast lights across the city for one year. As part of the initiative, the civic body will also procure 40,688 new LED lights at a cost of ₹39.66 crore to replace damaged ones. The maintenance component alone is estimated to cost ₹54.44 crore. Unlike previous years, where the in-house electrical department managed the upkeep, the work will now be outsourced to private contractors.
To carry out the project, the GCC will hire contract workers, electricians, and necessary machinery, including hydraulic vehicles and ladders. With 420 permanent employees set to retire soon, 152 contract workers will take their place. The contract system has already been implemented in 10 GCC zones, and the civic body plans to expand this further to improve service efficiency and coverage throughout the city.
Contractors will be held accountable for timely maintenance and operations. If they fail to resolve complaints, a penalty of 5% to 15% per light pole will be levied. Incomplete maintenance of components like junction boxes, poles, and feeder pillars will be treated as non-functional lights and penalized accordingly. Additionally, contractors are required to operate the lights according to the GCC’s schedule and submit ON/OFF reports every 15 days. Failure to comply will result in a ₹500 per day fine.
