The residents of Nanganallur and Pazhavanthangal have urged the Corporation of Chennai to do away with Sodium Vapour lamp post-bulbs and install LED lights.
At present, LED lights have been installed in the majority of the interior streets of Nanganallur and Pazhavanthangal. Residents in these areas have welcomed the initiative as their streets are now better-lit.
“The new lights help save energy, thereby saving taxpayers’ money. They will also help the police check crimes,” V. Sudershan, a resident of Pazhavanthangal, said.
The civic body announced the project in 2012 with the objective of saving at least 20 per cent of energy.
The new system is sensitive to natural lighting, switching on/off automatically, as required.
Arterial roads including Fourth Main Road, Railway Station Road, 100 Feet Road, 46 Street, Junction of Third Main Road and 29 Street, Nanganallur, and a few interior streets including Veeraraghavan Street, 14 Street, and 33 Street, Nanganallur, are yet to be replaced with LED lights.
“Poor lighting leads to frequent road accidents and chain-snatching incidents at night. Installing LED-based streetlights can help reduce accidents. They are resistant to voltage fluctuations,” V. Rama Rao, a veteran social activist, said.
Moreover, the residents have requested the civic body to prune tree branches at the junctions of Elangovadigal Street and Vembuli Amman Koil Street, Pazhavanthangal; Fourth Main Road, Nanganallur, and Vembuli Amman Koil Street, Pazhavanthangal; and 33 Street and 14 Street, Nanganallur, to improve illumination. They have also sought the distribution of free mosquito nets and nochi plants to reduce the mosquito breeding in their localities.
“The Chennai Corporation announced the initiative in November 2013. It announced that three lakh saplings would be platned along the waterbodies and the rest would be given to households from the zonal corporation offices. Till date, we are yet to receive the nets and the plants,” the residents added. The residents hoped the authorities concerned would take action at the earliest to distribute the plants as well the nets.
When contacted, Chennai Corporation officials said most of the streetlights in Nanganallur and Pazhavanthangal are either tube lights or sodium vapour lamp posts, installed by the (former) Alandur municipality.
“Soon, steps would be taken to install LEDs arterial roads and the remaining interior streets,” the officials added.
