THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the corporation passing the buck over installing streetlights on the Kazhakootam-Mukkola stretch of NH 66 bypass, Technopark employees will seek government intervention to resolve the issue. Prathidhwani, a welfare organisation representing IT employees, is set to meet Works Minister P A Mohammed Riyas this week seeking his urgent intervention on the issue. Lack of proper lighting on the stretch affects techies the most, since several of them reside in homes and apartments situated along the stretch.
Rajeev Krishnan, secretary, Prathidwani, said that providing lighting on the stretch was a long-standing demand of IT employees. “Though we had met ministers and authorities in this regard, nothing came out of those meetings. However, we have some expectations from the current works minister. So, we will meet him this week to seek his intervention. We will also request him to consider ‘workation’ (working vacation) for IT employees. Hope, he responds positively,” he said.
Meanwhile, the corporation’s proposal to invite Expression of Interest(EOI) from private parties for installing and maintaining streetlights on the median remains on paper. After NHAI told the corporation that it will not allow advertisements on light poles, the latter is now exploring other options. The corporation decided to call for EOI as money for the purpose can be generated through small advertisement hoardings kept on light poles.
Later, NHAI told the corporation that it has some provisions for installing streetlights at junctions, but the civic body has to take care of the rest of the things. “We have informed the corporation that NHAI has some provisions for installing streetlights at junctions. But we haven’t heard from the corporation ever since. So, we are awaiting their response on the issue,” said P Pradeep, project director, NHAI.
Binu Francis, corporation secretary, said the NHAI objected to the installation of advertisement hoardings and hence the proposal was shelved. However, he said that if NHAI were ready to install streetlights, the corporation was ready to maintain them.
“Many private players were ready to maintain streetlights if advertisement hoardings were allowed atop the poles. But NHAI refused permission for that. So, we are weighing other options. However, I will talk to NHAI authorities if there were provisions for installing it,” he said. The stretch, which was thrown open three years ago, had become highly accident-prone. NHAI had installed streetlights on the Chackai flyover, near the toll plaza at Thiruvallam.