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.