Bengaluru to get 3 lakh LED streetlights by December: CM Bommai
Bengaluru, Sep 14: Conceding that the delay in installing LED streetlights in Bengaluru has created "dark spots" in the city, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday said three lakh such streetlights will be installed by December.
The Chief Minister, who is also in-charge of Bengaluru City Development, was replying to a question raised by Dasarahalli JD(S) MLA R Manjunath in the state assembly on the delay caused in the project to replace all street lights with energy-efficient LEDs, and the inconvenience caused to people at night due to dysfunctional streetlights.
The project to replace all streetlights with LEDs was approved in 2019, and the government entrusted this work to BSPL, a consortium of Shapoorji Pallonji, SMC Infrastructure and Samudra Electronics Systems, under a public-private partnership.
"This issue came up when I reviewed projects relating to Bengaluru after taking over as the Chief Minister. I had clearly said during the review that there is a delay in starting the work, it has to start immediately. They (company) have said the project will be completed in five phases, and it is decided that by December 31, three lakh LED bulbs have to be installed," Bommai said.
He said the work has begun in some places, while it is yet to start in a few places due to various reasons.
As per the project pact, 4.85 lakh street lights in the city's municipal limits are to be replaced with LEDs in five phases, and the work was to be implemented in 30 months.
It is said that the project will lead to energy savings of up to 85 per cent.
Responding to Manjunath's question as to what action will the government take in case of failure on part of the company, Bommai said, as per the clause of the agreement the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) in case of delay or damage can impose a penalty of Rs 1 lakh per week.
Senior Congress MLA from BTM Layout Ramalinga Reddy, noting that it is the issue of all the 28 assembly constituencies in Bengaluru, pointed out that for the last three years, constituencies have not received any grants for streetlights citing the global tender for the LED project. "You can ask any MLA from the city." BJP MLAs Ravi Subramanya (Basavanagudi) and Arvind Limbavali (Mahadevapura) seconded Reddy's statement.
The Chief Minister, conceding that two years of the project went into approvals and contracts, said "This was not right. This has created several dark spots in all the wards under BBMP limits." "I have asked officials to take up all five phases at once immediately and in case of delay, measures will also be taken to re-examine the contract. I will also issue instructions to the BBMP to do repairs and maintenance of existing streetlights," he added.
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Delhi: Father, son held for killing 19-year-old woman in suspected honour killing
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi Police has arrested a man and his son for allegedly murdering his 19-year-old daughter in west Delhi's Hari Nagar area, an official said on Friday.
The case first came to light on April 1 after a PCR call was received around 2 pm, alleging that a woman had been killed by her family members and her body was being taken for last rites, he said.
The accused, identified as Mohammad Maneer (55), a vegetable vendor, and his son Meraj Ali (19), were arrested in connection with the case, the officer said.
The victim had been in a relationship with a man from her native place for the past two years, which was opposed by her father, Maneer and brother Meraj, he said.
"When the girl did not end the relationship despite objections, the family killed her," the officer said.
On April 1, the police said that when their team reached the spot, they found that the woman's body was being taken for burial.
Acting on the input, the burial process was stopped over suspicion of honour killing.
"Police intercepted the family members and took possession of the body," he said.
Police said that the man who had made the PCR told them that the woman was in love with his cousin.
During the inquiry, police also interacted with the PCR caller, who said his cousin, a friend of the deceased, had informed him about the situation and suspected foul play, prompting him to alert the police control room.
The body of the woman was subsequently shifted to the mortuary of Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital for preservation and postmortem.
Police said that both the crime team and the forensic science laboratory (FSL) team were called to inspect the scene and collect evidence.
Police said that, as per the postmortem report, the cause of death was identified as smothering, indicating that the woman was suffocated.
A preliminary inquiry also revealed that the family had initiated preparations for the last rites soon after the woman's death, raising suspicion about the circumstances.
Initial investigation pointed to the family's opposition to the woman's relationship.
"The family members of the woman saw her with the man, and she was taken back home. We got to know that she was beaten up and even locked inside the house for some days," a source said.
Further investigation into the matter is underway, police added.
