Patna: With Durga Puja approaching, Patna Municipal Corporation (PMC) has intensified efforts to restore faulty streetlights across the city, with around 2,000 complaints currently being addressed. To speed up repairs, the civic body has deployed 26 dedicated teams, each comprising a driver, electrician and helper. Efforts are being made to repair all faulty streetlights by Oct 10, said officials.According to PMC officials, Patna has around 83,000 streetlights. The repair teams are fixing nearly 500 malfunctioning lights every day. Each team has been equipped with a pick-up van carrying electrical wires, switches, streetlights, ladders and other equipment required for maintenance work.Despite the ongoing drive, several stretches, including parts of Rupaspur and Rajabazar, continue to face inadequate illumination due to technical faults.Bablu Kumar, executive engineer (electrical), said, “The teams are working in coordination with the PMC control room to attend complaints and restore lighting at the earliest. The number of repair teams has been increased from 18 to 26 ahead of the festive season to expedite the work.”PMC is also prioritising streetlights along major roads, road overbridges and Ganga ghats, where large crowds are expected during Navratri and other festivities. Apart from responding to complaints, the civic body has launched ward-level surveys to identify dark stretches and locations that require repairs or additional lighting.Officials said the city is fully covered by the streetlight network, but technical faults often leave entire stretches dark. In several cases, theft of copper wires from feeder panels has disrupted the main power supply, causing multiple streetlights on a route to stop functioning.A senior official from PMC’s electricity wing said efforts were being made to repair all faulty streetlights by Oct 10. He added that maintaining proper lighting was crucial for public safety and traffic movement during the festive period.Meanwhile, PMC is planning a major expansion of its streetlighting network. The corporation proposes to install 25,000 new streetlights, including solar-powered and automated lights, based on recommendations from ward councillors and findings from internal surveys. The proposal is currently under consideration, and a tender for the project is expected to be floated soon.The civic body hopes that the repair drive and proposed expansion will improve illumination across Patna and ensure safer roads and public spaces during the festive season.
