SHILLONG, July 15: Despite being one of the country’s Smart Cities and the capital of Meghalaya, several parts of Shillong continue to suffer from poor street lighting, raising concerns over public safety and urban infrastructure. Except for a small stretch of Khyndai Lad, which is maintained by a private firm, street lighting in many parts of the city remains inadequate.
One of the reasons for the poor condition of street lighting is the confusion between the Power department and the Urban Affairs department over their respective responsibilities for maintaining the lights. Apart from several non-functional streetlights, many high-mast lights installed at major junctions have also stopped working. Several solar-powered streetlights in different parts of the city are also lying defunct.
Under the Smart City Mission, the government had claimed that around 700 smart LED streetlights had been installed across Shillong. These lights were projected as automated, remotely monitored and energy-efficient systems designed to provide optimal illumination while consuming significantly less power.
Speaking on the issue on Wednesday, Urban Affairs Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar said the state government has finally resolved the issue of jurisdiction, with the responsibility for maintaining streetlights in different areas now clearly assigned to either the Power department or the Urban Affairs department.
He also informed that Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) are being prepared following repeated proposals submitted by headmen seeking the installation of streetlights in various localities.
According to Dhar, street lighting in all important areas of the city will now be maintained by the municipal authorities, while the Power Department will be responsible for certain other designated areas.
It is learnt that the last major exercise to install streetlights across Shillong in a uniform manner was undertaken as far back as 1993.
