LUCKNOW: One year after the tragic death of a 16-year-old girl, who was electrocuted near Phoenix Mall after coming into contact with a streetlight pole, a similar incident claimed the life of a 15-year-old boy in Shankarpurwa ward. The boy accidentally touched a highmast pole, which was leaking current, while working out in an open gym. The incident sparked outrage among residents over the negligence and lack of accountability of LMC officials.
Despite numerous promises of safety audits, accountability, and reforms following the previous incident, no concrete actions have been taken to prevent such tragedies. The junior engineer (JE) responsible for the earlier incident still holds his position, and other negligent officials have evaded consequences. This has raised serious concerns about the efficiency and responsibility of the LMC’s approach to public safety.
“We imposed a fine of ₹5 lakh on Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) last year, and this year, the LMC has imposed a fine of ₹10 lakh on EESL, the agency responsible for the upkeep of these poles (high masts) inside the parks,” said Manoj Prabhat, chief engineer of the street lights and rubbish removal department.
“There are more than 2,000 high mast poles inside city parks and over 2 lakh streetlight points. We conduct periodic inspections,” Prabhat continued, defending the LMC’s efforts.
“The LMC has around 36 switchmen who turn streetlights on and off, along with 8 Junior Engineers, 2 Executive Engineers, and more than 12 supervisors who regularly inspect the lights and monitor the maintenance work performed by EESL. Additionally, the LMC has more than 300 staff members dedicated to replacing and repairing streetlights through EESL,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}“The LMC has around 36 switchmen who turn streetlights on and off, along with 8 Junior Engineers, 2 Executive Engineers, and more than 12 supervisors who regularly inspect the lights and monitor the maintenance work performed by EESL. Additionally, the LMC has more than 300 staff members dedicated to replacing and repairing streetlights through EESL,” he said.
{{/usCountry}}He further said that for the first time, the LMC had decided to conduct a comprehensive audit of all the poles to check if the wires were properly insulated and taped, if the poles were safe for residents and staff, and if the switches were in good condition.
Siddharth Dwivedi, a resident of LDA Colony on Kanpur Road, expressed his frustration: “What’s the point of these audits when the officials responsible remain unpunished and no improvements are seen on the ground? People keep getting electrocuted, and the authorities just keep making empty promises.”
Corporator Ranjeet Singh, who raised the issue of electrocution deaths during a recent LMC House meeting, was equally critical. “I have repeatedly written to the LMC chief engineer about improving the quality of poles and wires used for street lighting. In many places, streetlights don’t even have proper switches. The switchmen resort to connecting open wires to light up the streetlights, risking their own safety and that of residents who walk nearby.”
Meanwhile, municipal commissioner Inderjit Singh said that the loss of life was deeply unfortunate and assured that the LMC would take the necessary steps to ensure the safety of all poles. “We are committed to holding the staff responsible for the boy’s death accountable,” he said.
Despite these assurances, public trust in the LMC’s promises remains low, according to a senior official of the LMC’s streetlight department. “The recurring nature of these tragic incidents reflects a deeper problem within the system. Officials from EESL don’t listen to us because they know the LMC cannot remove them from their jobs. The engineers and supervisors must explain why this incident happened. Audits alone won’t work unless there is a will to act against staff who take their work callously,” he said.
Exposed wires remain a persistent threat
LUCKNOW: Even after the heartbreaking death of a 15-year-old boy, the LMC authorities have yet to secure exposed electrical wires in several parks across the city, putting residents’ lives at continued risk. The tragic incident, which should have served as a wake-up call, has seemingly not spurred the necessary action from the departments concerned.
Some of the affected areas include Nishat Ganj, Indira Nagar, Alambagh, Jankipuram extension, Gomti Nagar, and several others. Most of the parks are maintained by the Lucknow Municipal Corporation, except for Arvindo Park, which is managed by the Uttar Pradesh Housing and Development Board (Awas Vikas Parishad).
A recent inspection conducted by Hindustan Times (HT) highlighted the alarming state of park infrastructure in key areas of the city. Arvindo Park, located in Sector 13 of Indira Nagar, is one such example. The park, which attracts around 100 visitors daily, has over 50 light poles, most of which have dangerously exposed wires hanging without any protective covering. Visitors expressed deep concern over the potential hazards, especially during the rainy season when the risk of electrocution increases dramatically.
Similar negligence was observed in Shiv Mandir Park, located in Sector 8 of Indira Nagar, where open wires were still lying on the ground—a perilous situation that could easily lead to accidents. Additionally, a water pump in the park was left uncovered, with its wires exposed, further heightening the risk to the public. Samridhi Park, located in Sector 9 of Indira Nagar, was found to be in a similar condition, with electricity pole wires left untaped and no safety covers in place at the poles.