Madurai residents raise concerns over defunct LED lights

Madurai: Residents of Madurai west zone have raised concerns over defunct LED streetlights installed in their areas.
Complaints came from various localities, including SRV Nagar, Thirunagar, Bharathiyar Nagar Extension, and Thiruvalluvar Nagar, during a grievance meeting convened by mayor Indrani Ponvasanth at the west zonal office on Tuesday. Residents alleged that contractors were installing old and malfunctioning LED lights, leaving many streets in darkness.
S Jegannathan, president of the SRV Nagar Residents' Association, expressed dissatisfaction with the repeated failure of the lights."We were promised new LED lights by the end of 2023. Eight months have already passed, and we still haven't received the lights. When we complain, the contractor installs old lights from other areas, which only work for a couple of days before becoming defunct again," he said.
Residents from Bharathiyar Nagar Extension pointed out that their long-standing request to relocate EB posts, which were installed in the middle of the road a decade ago, is yet to be addressed. N Kalyan Kumar, secretary of the Bharathiyar Nagar Extension residents' association, explained that the posts obstruct large vehicles, including ambulances, from entering their streets.
V Suveetha, chairperson of the Madurai west zone, said that out of the 4,000 LED lights allocated for the zone, less than 1,000 have been installed over the last 6-8 months. "Several extension areas remain without streetlights, and many residents, including those in Thirunagar and Thiruparankundram, have reported that old lights are being used," she said. The issue of garbage collection and cleaning around the Thiruparankundram temple was also raised by a few councillors, with complaints of garbage piling up in the area.
Mayor Indrani Ponvasanth told the residents that more than 200 new LED lights have been installed in key extension areas over the last two months. She also promised action to ensure the remaining lights are erected and said an investigation would be launched to address complaints of contractors reusing old lights.