The upkeep of the smart LED streetlights installed within the Kochi Corporation limits by the Cochin Smart Mission Limited (CSML) has emerged as a contentious issue, with the ruling and Opposition councillors sharply divided over the issue.
Over 40,000 LED lights were installed under a ₹40-crore project during the previous Left Democratic Front (LDF) council. The operation and maintenance of these lights were subsequently handed over to an agency, valid for five years until 2030.
According to the agreement, faulty lights were to be repaired within 48 hours. However, Mayor V.K. Minimol said this clause had not been effectively implemented, leading to mounting complaints. “The absence of timely maintenance has become a major headache for the Corporation. We had warned the previous council against proceeding with the project and paying the entire amount before addressing the shortcomings in operation and maintenance. Despite raising the matter several times, including by the public works committee, no solution has been found yet,” she said.
The Opposition LDF, however, accused the ruling front of attempting to discredit the project. LDF parliamentary party leader V.A. Sreejith said: “the lights are of good quality. If there are gaps in maintenance, it is the administration’s responsibility to plug them and ensure a foolproof system through continuous review.”
Practical challenges
BJP councillor Sudha Dileepkumar of the Ernakulam Central division highlighted practical challenges in the repair process. “Since the lights are mounted on KSEB (Kerala State Electricity Board) posts, maintenance requires the Board to switch off supply. My division has multiple transformers, and the KSEB will not switch off all supply lines for maintenance. As a result, not all lights requiring maintenance can actually be attended to, leaving many stretches in complete darkness,” she said.
United Democratic Front (UDF) parliamentary party leader M.G. Aristotle cited how lights had been mounted on KSEB posts rather than separate polls, which necessitated the presence of KSEB officials for maintenance. Moreover, the system was supposed to automatically alert the control room when lights fall into disrepair, but this is not happening. Councillors are forced to physically monitor the lights and alert the agency. Smart metering, which was promised as part of the project, has not been implemented. This means energy efficiency, one of the key reasons for switching to LED lights, cannot be measured. Meanwhile, the Corporation continues to pay around ₹1.5 crore a month to the KSEB for street lighting, he said.
Unfairly blamed: agency
The agency entrusted with maintenance claimed it was being unfairly blamed for issues beyond its scope. “Out of nearly 74,500 streetlights in the Corporation limits, only 40,400 have been replaced with LEDs. If we receive around 30 complaints from councillors, the majority are concerned with old bulbs and tubes, which we are not responsible for. Furthermore, the KSEB does not permit shutdowns during the first five days of the months, Sundays or second Saturdays, leaving us with limited days for maintenance. We have also begun installing smart meters across 14 KSEB sections, which will help detect load variations and facilitate targeted billing,” agency sources said.
Published – February 04, 2026 04:51 pm IST
