BEST has deferred a proposal to buy 1,450 standard street light poles for Worli after members of its committee asked the administration to reconsider the design and explore poles that reflect the identity of different parts of Mumbai.
The proposal, discussed at a BEST committee meeting on Friday, involved an estimated expenditure of around ₹2.50 crore. The planned poles would have been standard silver-coloured, zinc-plated structures. Committee members said the design should be reviewed before the purchase moves ahead.
The deferred proposal covered 250 poles measuring nine metres, 1,100 poles measuring seven metres and another 100 nine-metre poles. The poles were intended for Worli, an area associated with a fishing community and a mix of residential, commercial and transport infrastructure.
BEST committee chairperson Trishna Vishwasrao said the design and size of the poles could be developed differently. The administration has been asked to bring a fresh proposal and examine the quality of work and other details of the shortlisted company before the matter is reconsidered.
BEST member Ramakant Gupta suggested that poles in Worli could reflect the area’s local identity. Designs inspired by forms such as a conch or a damaru were cited as possible examples, though no design has been approved and the committee has not finalised a replacement proposal.
The decision comes as BEST manages more than 30,000 street lights across Mumbai’s Island City. The utility had recently changed the brightness and lux power of lights after complaints about inadequate illumination. The supplied report does not specify how many of those lights were affected by the complaints or provide a timeline for the revised Worli proposal.
The next step is for the BEST administration to return with a new proposal covering the design, size, quality assessment and other details related to the shortlisted company. Until that process is completed, the purchase of the 1,450 Worli poles remains deferred.
