MC road remains in darkness despite ₹160 crore restoration, streetlights fail

Enathu: Despite spending crores of rupees on the proposed restoration of MC road, the promise of adequate street lighting along this busy stretch remains unfulfilled.
The restoration project, aimed at creating a safe corridor along the road, included the installation of streetlights and measures to improve traffic safety at key junctions. However, the solar lights installed under the initiative worked only for the first few days due to a lack of maintenance.

Nearly 80 percent of the streetlights between Kottarakkara and Adoor are now non-functional, and those damaged in accidents have not been replaced. As a result, large portions of the road remain shrouded in darkness, raising the risk of accidents. The lights also remain inoperative at accident-prone zones between Enathu and Nellimoottilpadi.

Though ₹160 crore was spent on restoring the road, no durable measures were implemented to ensure regular maintenance of the streetlights. Repair and upkeep work has been completely halted since the outbreak of the pandemic. The use of weaker pipes for the light poles and the installation of solar lights and panels have further compounded the problem.

Without proper maintenance, solar panels have suffered extensive damage, and some have even been stolen. The light poles are beginning to rust and collapse, one after another. Yet, no action has been taken to clear the wreckage of poles that have fallen onto the roadside due to vehicle collisions.