Krishna Byre Gowda sets October 31 deadline for replacement of streetlights

Greater Bengaluru Development Minister Krishna Byre Gowda has set October 31 as the deadline for replacing all streetlights in the city with LED lights. This follows years of delays and an earlier pan-city tender that failed to take off. During a virtual meeting on June 22, 2025, Gowda directed officials to physically inspect the newly installed LEDs to ensure they function properly, rather than relying on reports alone.

He warned contractors would face penalties for improper installation or malfunctioning lights. The Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) has already imposed fines totaling ₹93.67 lakh on contractors for maintenance failures. The minister inspected a stretch between J.P. Nagar and Bannerghatta NICE Road on September 18 and found several non-functional streetlights.

He also noted a decline in streetlight-related complaints, dropping from 293 per day in June to 235 in October. In October alone, 8,186 complaints were lodged, of which 6,765 were resolved. Gowda instructed officials to address complaints promptly and establish control rooms in the four city corporations to monitor streetlights.

The installation of the Centralised Control and Monitoring System will be completed by the deadline.