Defunct streetlights along the Kalamboli-CBD Belapur stretch on Sion-Panvel Highway might soon be a thing of the past.
With frequent complaints from motorists and the traffic department, the Panvel City Municipal Corporation (PCMC) has now taken up the task of maintaining streetlights along the stretch that was earlier with the Public Works Department (PWD).
The highway, which is one of the major connecting links between Mumbai and Navi Mumbai and also connects Mumbai-Pune Expressway, is used by thousands of motorists daily and witnesses frequent accidents.
Even as the formality of handing over the stretch from PWD to PCMC is still pending, the corporation has passed a proposal of ₹10Cr for repairing and replacing the streetlights here that has been forwarded to the PWD.
“The proposal now has been forwarded to the PWD. We have also started the tender work. The PWD now needs to release the funds for the maintenance and complete the transfer formalities. We are waiting for their response,” Sanjay Jagtap, city engineer from PCMC, said.
Last year, 15 people died in 15 different accidents along the said stretch.
“The traffic department and commuters often write to us complaining about the lack of streetlights and some non-functional ones. But, we were helpless as it was not under our purview. With the transfer, we would be able to keep a tab of the maintenance. For that, we also need funds. Hence, we have asked PWD to pay for the maintenance for the next five years and we would get the work done,” Jagtap added.
In April, PWD and PCMC had done a survey and found a total of 267 electric poles and 918 sodium lamps. “Around 60 of the electric poles were not working that needed to be replaced and all the sodium lamps needed to be replaced with LED lights to decrease the electricity bills. The cabling also needs to be changed. With all these changes, the road vision during night hours will be much better,” a PCMC officer from the electrical department, said.
“Lack of lights has always been a problem on the Sion-Panvel Highway and we have written many times to the authorities. With proper electrical maintenance of the streetlights and also of the roads, many mishaps could be avoided,” a traffic official from Panvel said.
Meanwhile, Deepak Singh, Kharghar-based activist who has been regularly writing mails to the State authorities to look into the condition of the Sion-Panvel highway, said, “It’s the responsibility of the PWD to maintain the streetlights. PCMC must spend this money to maintain the broken roads and drainage covers in Kharghar, Kalamboli and Kamothe. PWD is collecting a huge toll at two places through MSRDC and other agencies, and this money needs to be put into use for the Sion-Panvel highway maintenance.”
Seema Tank, 40, another Kharghar resident, tweeted on Wednesday tagging authorities about there being no streetlight most of the time. “It has become very risky to drive on the highway during night hours with most of the streetlights not working. It is the main highway of the city and this is the condition,” Tank said.
Sandeep Patil, chief engineer (electrical), PWD, said, “We have received the proposal and have changed the amount to a realistic figure and have sent to higher authorities for further approval.”