BEST Defers ₹2.50 Crore Worli Streetlight Proposal

The BEST Committee has deferred a proposal to install 1,450 conventional streetlight poles in Worli at a cost of around ₹2.50 crore. The committee wants the poles to reflect the identity of the neighbourhood where they are installed, rather than having the same design across the city.

The proposal involved 250 nine-metre, 1,100 seven-metre and 100 nine-metre zinc-plated streetlight poles of different designs. The estimated cost was ₹2.50 crore, while the gross tender rates stood at ₹2.38 crore, which officials said were 6.66 per cent higher than the estimated rates.

According to Trushna Vishwasrao, chairperson of the BEST Committee, there is a scope of reimagining the shapes and design of these streetlight poles. The committee has asked the administration to come up with a new design and inspect the quality of work and other details of the shortlisted company.

The demand for a local touch has emerged as the key point in the proposal. BEST Committee member Ramakant Gupta said Mumbai's street infrastructure should not look uniform when every neighbourhood has its own history and identity. Gupta suggested that the streetlight design could depict Worli's fishing heritage.

Worli has historically been associated with fishing communities, and the design could reflect this identity. The idea comes against the backdrop of the BMC's earlier beautification experiment, where colourful butterfly- and bird-shaped streetlights were installed as part of its beautification drive.

The BEST Committee's move seeks to balance functionality with aesthetics and local identity, ensuring that any redesign does not come at the cost of basic lighting and safety. BEST has more than 30,000 streetlights across the island city and has recently changed the illumination and lux levels of lamps after receiving complaints about poor lighting.

The committee's decision is a step towards giving Mumbai's streetlights a unique character. By incorporating local elements into the design, the city can showcase its rich cultural heritage. The move is also expected to boost the city's aesthetic appeal and make it more attractive to tourists and residents alike.

In the coming days, the administration is expected to come up with a new design for the streetlight poles, which will be presented to the BEST Committee for approval. The committee will then review the design and ensure that it meets the required standards.

The decision to defer the proposal and seek a local touch for the streetlights is a significant one, and it will be interesting to see how the new design turns out. The move is a step in the right direction, and it is expected to have a positive impact on the city's infrastructure and aesthetic appeal.

In conclusion, the BEST Committee's decision to defer the proposal and seek a local touch for the streetlights is a welcome move. It is a step towards giving Mumbai's streetlights a unique character and showcasing the city's rich cultural heritage. The move is expected to have a positive impact on the city's infrastructure and aesthetic appeal, and it will be interesting to see how the new design turns out.