EESL fails to maintain city streetlights in Tirupati

Tirupati: Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) has failed in maintaining the streetlights in temple city. In 2016, the Municipal Corporation of Tirupati (MCT) had entered into an agreement with the EESL to replace the conventional streetlights with LED lights.

The civic body had paid Rs 7.37 crore to EESL three years ago. As per the agreement, a total of 11,000 streetlights were replaced with LED lights in the city. Besides, the EESL has to provide maintenance of LED lights for 7 years.

Earlier, the MCT's electrical wing staff used to repair streetlights on receiving complaints. Now, the officials concerned say that the EESL is entrusted with the task of maintenance if residents complain about non-functioning of streetlights. Moreover, the EESL did not set up grievance cell to receive complaints from people and rectify them.

At the time of replacing the 11,000 conventional streetlights with LEDs, the EESL had set up Centralised Control Monitoring System (CCMS). Three years ago, a total of 1,000 CCMS units were set up. Now, majority of CCMS are not functioning. Residents are not aware of functioning of EESL control room for lodging the complaints regarding streetlight repairs.

As per the agreement, EESL must appoint 15 staff for maintaining the 11,000 LED streetlights in the city. It is pathetic that EESL had appointed only 3 temporary employees for maintenance of streetlights. Residents are forced to walk in the dark in some of the streets during nights due to non-functioning of streetlights. Speaking to The Hans India, MCT's Electrical Engineer B Chandrashekar said that he had instructed his staff to stop payment of monthly maintenance charges of Rs 17 lakh to the EESL.