In a decisive move, District Magistrate (DM) and Administrator Savin Bansal has revoked the streetlight maintenance and repair contract from the Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL). Just days after holding a meeting to review the situation, a clear directive was issued to strip EESL of this responsibility, handing it over to the Dehradun Municipal Corporation. Effective immediately, the municipal corporation will now directly manage the repair work of streetlights in the city. However, EESL will continue to oversee the installation of new streetlights until December 2024. Additionally, the corporation has been instructed to prepare a backup rate contract for new lights and equipment as per the DM’s orders.
Complaints about the malfunctioning of numerous streetlights in Dehradun had been piling up due to EESL’s lack of response. The company amassed a backlog of 3,000 to 4,000 unresolved cases, despite being contractually obligated to repair lights within 48 hours of receiving a complaint.
Taking the company’s negligence seriously, DM Bansal summoned the CEO of EESL, issuing a stern warning and threatening legal action. The inefficiency stemmed from the fact that the company’s call center and payment processing operations were located hundreds of miles away in Delhi, leading to a lack of transparency and accountability. This failure had tarnished the reputation of the municipal corporation, which bore the brunt of public frustration.
With no improvement in sight, the DM swiftly acted to revoke EESL’s authority over the repair work. The decision was made within a single day.
To address the growing backlog of complaints, 35 dedicated teams will be dispatched from the municipal corporation on a ward-wise basis to restore the city’s streetlights. These teams will begin their work on Tuesday, October 8th, starting from the municipal headquarters at 11 AM. Each team will be equipped with vehicles and will report to the corporation both before and after completing their daily assignments, ensuring strict oversight of their performance.
This move marks a significant step in rectifying the ongoing streetlight issue and demonstrates the administration’s commitment to improving public services in Dehradun.
