However, while NMC follows a defined standard — 120-watt LED streetlights across most areas and 170-watt lights on the Inner Ring Road — other agencies install 200 to 250-watt luminaires, significantly higher than what NMC has prescribed.Senior NMC’s electrical dept officials told TOI that even the distance between 2 poles varies widely on roads and flyovers constructed by different agencies. “There is no uniform spacing or wattage pattern. This not only increases electricity bills but also raises suspicion of inflated project costs,” an official said, hinting at a possible “design-based escalation” in estimates.The issue snowballed as NMC already took over operation and maintenance (O&M) of several major flyovers, including the Wardha Road double-decker flyover, Sadar flyover, and Chinchbhavan flyover. Now, MahaMetro is pressing the civic body to take over O&M of the LIC Square-Automotive Square flyover, which alone has around 300 high-powered streetlights. Similar demands were made for Tekdi Road near Nagpur railway station and the Futala Lake road stretch.The newly constructed Amravati Road flyover also reportedly uses higher-capacity lighting fixtures, despite no technical justification for such elevated wattage in urban stretches. Electrical experts within NMC warn that these disparities will “burn deep holes in the civic exchequer”. The infrastructure of 200-250-watt systems differs from the existing 170-watt network maintained by NMC, meaning higher energy bills, additional maintenance complexity, and spare-part variations.“Why is the electrical department not consulted before installation?” questioned a senior engineer. “Once handed over, the financial burden shifts entirely to NMC.”O&M CONTRACT EXPIRING SOONMarch 31, 2026: O&M contract for 1.63 lakh streetlights expiresNew contractor to be appointed for 5–7 yearsNMC converted 1.31 lakh sodium lights to LED since 2017Total streetlights increased to 1.63 lakhAnnual O&M expenditure: Rs30 crore
