Streetlights installed on Gurgaon-Faridabad Road after 8 years; power connection awaited

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has completed work on installing 734 LED streetlights on the Gurugram section of the Gurgaon-Faridabad Road, officials

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (MCG) has completed work on installing 734 LED streetlights on the Gurugram section of the Gurgaon-Faridabad Road, officials said on Monday. However, the stretch is likely to remain unlit for at least another month as the MCG is yet to procure power supply to the streetlights.

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In July 2012, when work on widening the state highway from two to four lanes commenced, all the streetlights on the stretch were dismantled. The stretch has been dark during the night since then. However, officials expect power connection work to be completed by April.

The MCG had started installing streetlights on the Gurugram section, an 11.1km-long stretch between Khushboo Chowk and the toll plaza, in August last year and officials said the work was completed earlier this week.

“We completed work on installing LED streetlights last Wednesday, and, the following day, submitted an online application to the Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN for providing power connection. The process takes eight to 10 days for getting approved, following which we will transfer the requisite sum needed for the power connection, to DHBVN officials. By April, the entire stretch will be illuminated,” Raman Yadav, executive engineer, electrical wing, MCG, said.

The Gurugram section of the highway is under the ambit of the MCG while the Faridabad section is under the jurisdiction of the Municipal Corporation of Faridabad (MCF).

Joginder Hooda, superintending engineer, DHBVN, said that online applications catering to work above 500 kilowatts (KW) are sent to the power discom’s headquarters in Hisar for approval. The MCG’s project is above 500 KW.

“As per norms, most online applications are approved within a week. Depending on the scope of work, and the guidelines, streetlight projects can take between 30-45 days to complete from the date of commencement of work. We will complete the work within this time frame,” Hooda said.

The projected cost of installing LED streetlights for the MCG was ₹1.5 crore. The project was approved in January last year during the MCG’s finance and contract committee (F&CC).

The lack of lighting has been a major cause of concern on the stretch, especially regarding accidents.

As per Haryana Vision Zero (HVZ) data, due to lack of illumination, the Ghata crossing on the Gurgaon-Faridabad Road is one of the 21 black spots of the city.

A black spot is a 500-metre stretch where more than 10 road fatalities have been recorded during the last three calendar years.

In a report last month, the Gurugram traffic police had highlighted the exit as one of the seven major points in the city where accidents regularly take place during the night. Shankar Chowk, Bilaspur crossing, Sector 10, IMT Manesar, Hero Honda Chowk, and the Sidhrawali exit were the others.

Most recently, on December 10, a 24-year-old woman died and three of her family members were injured after an SUV crashed into their Wagon R near the Air Force Station on Gurgaon-Faridabad Road.