Archive · 20 Sep 2026
City Roads Remain Dark as Street-Light Failures Persist
Many street lights across the city are not working properly.
Officials say more than 30% of the lights in the CURE area are broken or too dim.
Some roads and flyovers are especially dark.
This includes parts of the Chanchalguda–Santoshnagar and Shaikpet flyovers.
Drivers say they must slow down and use their headlights carefully.
Poor lighting can be especially dangerous when roads are flooded during monsoon weather.
The earlier street-light maintenance contract ended more than a year ago.
Officials say new tenders have been issued to improve maintenance.
More than 30% of street lights in the CURE area are faulty or provide dim illumination.
Several major roads and flyovers remain poorly lit, including parts of Shaikpet flyover.
Half of the Chanchalguda–Santoshnagar steel flyover’s lights are reportedly dysfunctional.
Commuters say darkness forces them to drive slowly and switch between headlight beams.
Officials attribute the problem to inadequate maintenance staff after the previous contract ended.
- Who
- Municipal officials, commuters, and residents are involved in reporting and addressing the street-light failures.
- What
- More than 30% of street lights in the CURE area are not working or provide very dim illumination.
- When
- The maintenance contract ended over a year ago, and new tenders have now been floated.
- Where
- Affected locations include roads and flyovers across the CURE area, including Shaikpet, Chanchalguda, Santoshnagar, Jubilee Hills, Kukatpally, Manikonda, and Basheer Bagh.
- Why
- Officials attribute the problem to a lack of dedicated staff to maintain the Centralised Control and Monitoring System.
Commuters and Residents
Municipal Officials
Impact of poor lighting
Commuters and Residents
Dark roads and flyovers make driving difficult and potentially dangerous, especially during monsoon waterlogging.
Municipal Officials
Officials acknowledge the street-light problem and say maintenance arrangements are being used while new tenders are pursued.
Cause of the failures
Commuters and Residents
Residents point to widespread darkness on major roads and flyovers as an ongoing public-safety concern.
Municipal Officials
Officials attribute the failures to a lack of dedicated staff for maintaining the Centralised Control and Monitoring System after the previous contract ended.
Response to the problem
Commuters and Residents
Commuters want roads and flyovers to be adequately illuminated rather than relying on vehicle headlights.
Municipal Officials
Officials say tenders have now been floated for street-light services in the CURE area.
- Affected area
- Core Urban Region Economy (CURE) area
- Reported failure rate
- More than 30% of street lights are not working or are very dim
- Chanchalguda–Santoshnagar flyover
- The flyover spans 3.32 km, with dysfunctional lights along half its length
- Shaikpet flyover
- Only about 30% of the flyover is illuminated
- Previous maintenance contract
- The contract with Energy Efficiency Services Limited ended over a year ago
- Current maintenance
- Corporation electrical-wing staff and some temporary vendors are maintaining the lights
- Planned response
- Tenders have been floated for street lights in the CURE area