COIMBATORE: To curb unnecessary power consumption and improve streetlight management, the Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation (CCMC) has announced plans to install 433 automatic streetlight control units across the city at an estimated cost of Rs 2 crore.
At present, around 52,081 streetlights and 3,563 control units are in operation across the core areas in the five zones covering 60 wards in the city. Of these, 3,130 have already been automated, while 433 are manually operated. Since workers currently switch on and off these manual units individually in each ward, streetlights often remain lit during the daytime, leading to energy wastage and additional electricity costs for the civic body.
To address this issue, the manually operated control units will soon be upgraded to automated systems that can synchronously switch street lights on and off, reducing power loss and improving operational efficiency.
The initiative also aims to ensure better visibility for vehicles during the night, minimise road accidents, and enhance the safety of pedestrians, particularly women, after dark.
Given the urgency and necessity of the project, the CCMC Council granted approval a few days ago to carry out the work zone-wise through the private players who are already managing streetlight maintenance work. According to officials, the installation work is expected to commence soon.