More than 3,000 Avadi streetlights are reportedly non-functional despite a ₹22-crore maintenance contract awarded by Avadi Corporation in May, leaving several roads poorly lit as rain, waterlogging and potholes increase risks for residents after dark.
The affected areas include Pattabiram, Thandurai, Paruthipattu and Thirumullaivoyal, where residents have reported difficulty identifying hazards such as dangling electrical cables and potholes. The problem has continued for about four months, even though the corporation replaced older streetlights with LED fixtures approximately six months ago.
Avadi Corporation has more than 26,000 streetlights across 5,256 streets within its limits. According to the report, at least 3,000 lights in different areas are currently dysfunctional. The scale of the outage means that the issue extends beyond isolated equipment failures and affects the reliability of basic public infrastructure across multiple neighbourhoods.
The corporation’s maintenance contract was intended to improve fault resolution and make it easier for residents to register complaints. QR codes were installed on streetlight poles and holders to identify their locations and track reported faults. A dedicated mobile number was also provided, with the private contractor expected to resolve complaints within 48 hours.
Residents, however, told the Times of India that calls and messages to corporation officials and the contractor often go unanswered. The report did not include a response from the contractor. Avadi Corporation commissioner L Ambica was unavailable for comment despite several attempts to contact her.
T Sadagopan, president of the Tamil Nadu Progressive Consumer Welfare Association, said residents had lacked an effective way to raise complaints with the corporation for years. He also alleged that some streetlights remained switched on during the day while others did not work at all. According to Sadagopan, residents who approach ward councillors are told that the matter has been raised in council meetings, but visible corrective action has not followed.
The lighting failures have become more consequential during the northeast monsoon. Poor visibility on wet and waterlogged roads can make it harder for pedestrians, two-wheeler users and motorists to identify surface damage and other obstructions. In low-lying areas, the problem is compounded by power outages, according to J Jayakumar, secretary of the Tamil Nadu Progressive Consumer Welfare Association.
Jayakumar said power cuts in Avadi lasted four to five hours in some instances, disrupting household activities and small businesses. He said the combination of outages and non-functional streetlights made it difficult for residents returning home after work to travel safely.
The reported breakdown also raises questions about how the corporation is monitoring a maintenance contract that includes a stated 48-hour resolution period. The QR-based complaint system can help identify faults only if complaints are acknowledged, assigned and closed within the promised timeframe. The corporation and its contractor have yet to publicly explain the reasons for the current backlog or outline a timeline for restoring the affected lights.
