Pan City LED Street Light project inaugurated in Kochi; Opposition challenges claims of better power efficiency

Kerala’s Minister for Local Self-Government M.B. Rajesh on Wednesday inaugurated the Pan City LED Street Light project, under which conventional street lights have been replaced with over 40,000 smart and energy-efficient LED lights within the Kochi Corporation limits.

The initiative, implemented by Cochin Smart Mission Limited (CSML), involved an investment of over ₹30 crore. Mayor M. Anilkumar presided over the function.

The project claims to have covered all major roads within the Corporation limits, thereby enabling centralised control of the public lighting system. The installation of over 1,500 centralised control monitoring system (CCMS) panels across the city is expected to facilitate automatic switching, remote monitoring, system control, and real-time energy management. The entire LED network has been mapped using geographic information system (GIS) and will be integrated with CSML’s centralised Command and Control Centre.

5-year operation, maintenance deal

A five-year operation and maintenance agreement, ensuring the sustainability of the project, is a key highlight. A round-the-clock help desk has also been set up for the public to lodge complaints through multiple channels — calls, SMS, and mobile applications. The contractor is required to maintain a stock of 5% of the lights, panels, and related equipment for timely replacements. A clause has been included mandating that the system remains operational at least 98% of the time.

Each LED light comes with a seven-year warranty. Additionally, CCMS panels, cables, and communication equipment are covered under a five-year warranty.

“The project will help the Corporation reduce its power bill by half. Moreover, the software-controlled CCMS panels will ensure operational efficiency and timely repair and maintenance,” said Shaji V. Nair, CEO of CSML.

No real cut in power bill: Opposition

However, the Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) contested this claim, stating that there has been no significant reduction in the Corporation’s power bill. During the three-month period from June to August, electricity charges for street lighting amounted to ₹3.89 crore, said UDF parliamentary party leader M.G. Aristotle, citing documents obtained through the Right to Information Act.

“It was also claimed that the centralised system would address dysfunctional street lights within 48 hours, which is not happening, according to complaints from councillors across political affiliations. Although the new smart lights were supposed to be installed on separate poles, this has not been done. Instead, old lights on KSEB poles have merely been replaced, making future maintenance cumbersome. The presence of KSEB officials will be required during maintenance,” he added.

Mr. Nair responded that online onboarding of the system is under way, and once completed, repairs to dysfunctional lights will be carried out almost instantaneously.

Meanwhile, the Opposition shared images on social media showing unlit streets within the Corporation even as the inauguration of the project was under way.