Road safety experts have decried the inordinate delay in restoring streetlights on the Edappally-Aroor NH Bypass and other busy corridors, despite National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data showing that 20.40% of accidents occur between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Even more alarming, said C.J. Johnson, an avid votary of road safety, was that pedestrians account for 19.50% of total road accident fatalities. He recently submitted a petition to the District Collector, the Chairman of the District Road Safety Council, and the Transport Commissioner, highlighting the need for street lights on all roads to reduce accidents. “Lack of lighting is a major cause of night-time road accidents, especially those involving pedestrians. The NCRB statistics showing a higher accident rate in the three hours after dusk underscore the importance of streetlighting,” he stated in the petition.
Unfortunately, most roads in Kerala, including National Highways, State-owned roads, and those under local bodies, either lack streetlights or have inadequate lighting due to low light pole heights, insufficient lamp brightness, and tree shadows.
Even when streetlights are present, drivers may struggle to see pedestrians crossing the road, especially during the rainy season or when pedestrians wear dark clothing. “The cost of installing streetlights is negligible compared to the total cost of road construction,” said Mr. Johnson, who sent a petition to the State Human Rights Commission requesting streetlights on Container Road, following which the lights are now being installed.
Non-government organisations such as the Ernakulam Vikasana Samithi and the Vyttila Vikasana Samithi have long been urging civic agencies to take the lead in installing streetlights to prevent accidents and deter crimes.
Interestingly, much of the NH Bypass and Vyttila Junction lack streetlights, despite the Cochin Smart Mission Limited (CSML) nearing the completion of a ₹40-crore project to replace 40,400 streetlights with LED lights and supporting brackets in areas under the Kochi Corporation.
Sources in CSML said the installation of LED lights would be completed by the first week of February. The cables of most lamp posts erected by the Corporation had been damaged over time due to various reasons. As a result, the contractor tasked with replacing the streetlights had also been assigned the job of repairing the damaged cables and wires, for which a separate estimate had been prepared.
When asked about the darkness engulfing much of Vyttila Junction, the approach to Vyttila flyover from the Palarivattom side, and the area beneath the flyover, they said their mandate was limited to replacing old lights and damaged cables.“Lights can be installed only if the Corporation installs an adequate number of lamp posts or repairs damaged posts,” they said.
