The Times of India 16.11.2013
Corporation invites tenders for streetlight maintenance
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The city corporation has decided not to pay Rs25 lakh to the Kerala state electricity board
(KSEB) for carrying out the maintenance of streetlights until the
electricity board comes up with a proposal for maintenance. The civic
body had invited tenders from private parties on November 8. Three
parties have responded so far. The tenders will be accepted till
Tuesday.
The civic body’s decision to put aside the option to
avail the service of the KSEB for streetlight maintenance comes in the
wake of a demand raised by the electricity board to furnish a detailed
list of streetlights installed in the 100 wards in the city corporation.
In response to a letter from corporation mayor
K Chandrika for the conduct of temporary maintenance works, the KSEB
had forwarded a questionnaire seeking the details on number of
streetlights, electric posts and types of lights installed in the
corporation. They had also sought to provide the numbers of functional
and dysfunctional lights separately.
However, the works
standing committee is yet to furnish a reply to this questionnaire
reasoning that the KSEB is better informed about the details regarding
the streetlights in the city than the city corporation. The electricity
board has not prepared any separate proposal for the temporary
maintenance of streetlights at a payment of Rs25 lakh either. “As of now
we are not considering the option of KSEB carrying out streetlight
maintenance for a pre-paid amount. We have called tenders and hopefully
private parties could be roped in for the same,” said V S Padmakumar, chairman, works standing committee.
