Chennai is grappling with a streetlight crisis that threatens both public safety and civic confidence. Nearly 50% of the city’s 3 lakh streetlights are non-functional, leaving over 250 stretches across major neighbourhoods in darkness and exposing citizens to safety and security risks. The bulk of the faulty units are part of a large-scale LED streetlight installation initiated in 2013, under a seven-year Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC) that has now lapsed.
With key vendors withdrawing from extended maintenance citing unviable costs and lack of profitability, the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has struggled to address the failing infrastructure. According to senior officials in the electrical department, no new tenders have been floated for full-scale replacement or repair. The high installation cost—approximately ₹40,000 per light pole—has deterred participation in piecemeal AMC bids. Without a renewed contract or sustainable replacement plan, the system has reached critical failure.
On-ground inspections revealed extensive blackouts in key areas like Anna Nagar, Velachery, T Nagar, and Madipakkam. In several zones, corroded poles have led to lights being tied haphazardly to utility poles. The collapse of these critical urban elements has prompted a surge in daily grievances—between 250 to 300 complaints are registered through the city’s 1913 helpline and Namma Chennai App. The Thiru Vi Ka Nagar zone records the highest number of streetlight-related complaints, averaging up to 60 per day. Tondiarpet follows with around 37. Elected councillors across wards have raised concerns over delayed repairs and lack of spare stock, citing a response time of two to three days per complaint.
Residents, especially women and children, have expressed anxiety about commuting after dark. A recent study by the GCC’s gender lab highlighted that 20% of women felt unsafe due to poor lighting at junctions, while 22% flagged inadequate illumination at public gathering spots like bus stands and toilets. Adding to the complexity is the failure of the centralised lighting control system. The platform, intended to manage automatic switch-on and switch-off cycles, has repeatedly failed, forcing ground staff to operate lights manually.
Civic officials have acknowledged the problem and are in the process of implementing a centralised AMC for all 3 lakh streetlights. The initial phase targets the repair of 40,000 units. The new contractor will be evaluated using performance metrics, including brightness, pole strength, wiring condition, and effective light throw. While the renewed AMC offers some optimism, Chennai’s infrastructural neglect has already raised serious questions about urban planning and safety standards. The challenge now is whether the GCC can restore public trust before more lives are affected by this creeping darkness.
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