KOCHI: In the heart of Willingdon Island, nestled between titan institutions such as the Southern Naval Command and the Port, and a new commercial corridor and eatery space, is a triangular patch of land that has descended into darkness.
“There are no streetlights here,” pointed out Jerome, a commuter.
Indeed, for the first 500 metres of the historic Bristow Road, which leads deeper into the island, there are not even streetlight poles to be found.
“And this is despite this stretch being the entrance to the larger expanse of the island, which comprises the Port, a railway terminus, a battery of shipping companies, and a clutch of top tier hotels. And also, 100-something families,” he added.
Interestingly, a rail line also runs parallel to the road, linking with the Cochin Harbour Terminus, an equally significant heritage building, which, as people mistakenly presume, is not non-functional.
On the same patch is also a canal, cutting both the road and the rail at a near 90-degree angle, before snaking its way further into the naval base.
“All of these screams for there being adequate lighting on this patch of land.
But there’s not,” said Ganesh, staff of a shipping firm in Kochi.
“It’s strange how authorities managed to overlook this particular stretch when setting up streetlights. They must have only passed through here during the day,” he quipped.
At night, the stretch is particularly hazardous as heavy trucks are often parked along both sides of the road. “With limited visibility, motorists passing through the area face considerable risk,” Jerome noted.
Local councillor Padmakumari T is not oblivious to the problem. She told TNIE that the issue was brought to the attention of multiple authorities. “But resolving it has been complicated due to jurisdictional factors,” she pointed out.
According to her, the road falls within the Cochin Port Authority’s limits. “This means that the local administration cannot directly undertake maintenance works such as the installation or repairing of streetlights,” Padmakumari added.
When TNIE reached out to the Port, an official acknowledged that the stretch remains poorly lit.
“With trucks frequently moving through the road, the lack of lighting can be dangerous,” he said, and cited restrictions linked to a nearby naval aviation facility for the delay.
Earlier, Padmakumari had also hinted at likely Navy restrictions.
“The delay in installing streetlights is due to the Navy’s policies. On the adjacent land is a defence airstrip. There are height restrictions to building anything there, and this applies to streetlight poles as well,” the port official said.
However, when TNIE pointed out that the area, which is already hazardous, is slowly becoming a waste dumping ground, the port authorities decided to take steps and address the issue.
“We will install three new streetlight poles beyond the toll area to improve visibility and prevent accidents,” the port official said.
But when TNIE contacted the Navy, the authorities clarified that a ‘no objection certification’ (NOC) is only necessary for the construction of high rise buildings in the vicinity of the airfield.
“There’s no restriction for streetlights. Also, as you know, on the base road running parallel to the Bristow Road, there are streetlights installed. So, if we can allow street poles on this side of the wall, why won’t we allow it outside, which is even further away from the runway,” the Navy official said.
He also clarified that there is no application pending at their end for an NOC towards streetlights.
“We have not received any request so far, but we are willing to extend the necessary approval if approached. The councillor may send her representative to us and we will give a spot approval for the same with whatever height structure is permitted,” the Navy official added.
TNIE has learned that the councillor and the Port will take up the matter with the Navy in the coming days.