Kochi Corporation commissions digital streetlight survey to plug asset register gaps

The Kochi Corporation has launched a digital survey of streetlights to address gaps in their asset register, following a Comptroller and Auditor General report that highlighted their absence. Mayor V.K. Minimol approved the initiative, and the Corporation invited expressions of interest, awarding the contract to the lowest bidder, Pamidi Projects Private Limited.

The agency, which manages streetlights for Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode Corporations, is expected to commence the survey in early September, pending consultations with the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB), which powers the lights. The survey aims to determine the number of lights installed by Cochin Smart Mission Limited, identify additional requirements, and establish a foundation for future installations.

It will also allow the Corporation to incorporate streetlight data into their asset register, gathering information such as the number of lights per transformer, the condition of lights, and their wattage. KSEB will receive a section-wise schedule, as transformer switches are necessary to assess streetlight condition and service linemen.

However, some councillors have raised concerns that the survey could be a ploy to facilitate corruption and that it may take up to a year before new lights can be installed, exacerbating the demand for streetlights in their respective areas. CSML had previously installed around 3,300 smart, energy-efficient lights and another 40,000 as part of the Pan City LED Street Light Project, but maintenance agencies claim the total could be closer to 26,000, with conflicting reports about the number installed outside the CSML project.