Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has suspended electricity supply to its 67,000 trident lights across the city as a precautionary measure to prevent electrocution during the monsoon season.
Recent incidents of theft involving protective covers and other components of these trident lights have exposed electrical parts to water, significantly increasing the risk of fatal accidents. “All trident lights will remain switched off until further orders are issued. These lights carry a sense of nostalgia for many residents, but the safety and security of our citizens must take precedence,” stated Sandip Ranjan Bakshi, Member Mayor in Council (Lighting and Electricity), KMC.
Millennium Post had reported in May that KMC’s Lighting Department initiated a project to insulate the city’s 3 lakh lamp posts with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) covers up to a height of 7 feet. PVC and rubber, being effective insulators, restrict the flow of electricity.
“We have identified waterlogging-prone pockets across the city and are actively covering lamp posts in those areas,” said a lighting department official. Additionally, the department is installing posters with danger signs on lamp posts, cautioning citizens against touching them during heavy rainfall.
The first phase of this initiative has been allocated a budget of Rs 5-7 lakh. The cost of covering each lamp post with PVC rubber ranges between Rs 600 and Rs 800, resulting in an estimated total expenditure of Rs 18 crore.