Hyderabad: With more than 70% of streetlights in Greater Hyderabad nearing the end of their life, the three municipal corporations under the Core Urban Region (CURE) are preparing for a large-scale overhaul of the city’s lighting network.According to a GO accessed by STOI, around 7.6 lakh streetlights across the three civic bodies will be replaced, operated, and maintained in phases under a unified tender estimated at Rs 1,340 crore for a period of 10 years.Under the proposal, the selected concessionaire will be required to replace all existing streetlights and Centralised Control and Monitoring System (CCMS) boxes within six months, while also taking responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the entire lighting network during the contract period.As part of the monitoring system, the agency must maintain detailed records of the replacement process, including photographs and unique identification numbers of old and newly installed lights and CCMS boxes. Survey data will have to be updated by the contractor and verified by GHMC officials.The project will also rely on real-time monitoring through CCMS boxes, enabling authorities to track the status of streetlights, electricity consumption data from TGSPDCL, and detect issues such as power leakage, theft, or malfunctioning units. Any discrepancies identified will have to be investigated and rectified by the contractor.To ensure accountability, the new system introduces strict performance-based penalties. If a streetlight remains non-functional for a day, the contractor will face a penalty of Rs 100 per light per day. Similarly, faults in CCMS boxes will attract a penalty of Rs 1,500 per day.GHMC officials said the new model aims to address several shortcomings faced during the earlier arrangement with Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL). “The previous system suffered from limited manpower for maintenance, absence of dedicated CCMS support teams, an inadequate number of warehouses and vehicles, and a non-functional IT monitoring system without real-time dashboards,” said an official in GHMC.Officials also noted that EESL proposed an extension of the contract at Rs 211 per light per month, whereas a similar tender floated in Delhi in 2025 for 3.9 lakh lights over 12 years was awarded at Rs 186 per light per month.Under the new tender conditions, the selected agency will be responsible for ensuring uninterrupted street lighting, reducing downtime of failed lights, lifecycle-based asset management, and systematic maintenance planning. The scope of work includes pole-to-pole cabling, maintenance of LED luminaires, upkeep of pole boxes and accessories, and replacement of damaged poles.The system will also feature a centralised monitoring platform, phased replacement of lights that fail or reach end of life, and a complaint redressal mechanism requiring faults to be addressed within 48 hours. The initiative is expected to improve illumination levels across the city while ensuring faster maintenance and better accountability.
