City authorities in Kochi are pushing ahead with efforts to complete the long-delayed Pan-City LED streetlight project, aiming to ensure better public lighting and road safety across major parts of the district. The initiative is being led by Cochin Smart Mission Ltd (CSML) and has faced a series of setbacks since its launch, but recent developments have injected fresh momentum into the project.
According to officials, the primary reason for the delay was the prolonged wait for a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) required for the installation of streetlights along national highway stretches within the city. That approval has now finally been granted, clearing a major procedural hurdle and allowing further installation work to proceed.
At a recent Corporation Council meeting, Mayor V. K. Minimol confirmed that the council has also authorised payments to the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) to secure electricity connections for the installed lights. Once these charges are settled, many lights currently installed but non-functional across areas such as West Kochi and its suburbs are expected to become operational.
Local councillors, however, said concerns remain over the quality and maintenance of parts of the existing installation. In Edakochi, for instance, some streetlights reportedly stay on during the day but fail to switch on at night, underscoring unresolved technical issues that still need addressing.
The smart LED project aims to replace over 40,000 conventional streetlamps with energy-efficient LED lighting, significantly cutting power consumption and improving illumination quality across Kochi.
With administrative approvals now in place and infrastructure payments underway, officials are cautiously optimistic that the long-pending project will soon shift from partial implementation to full completion, enhancing both safety and sustainability on city streets.
