Turn off the skywalk lights during the day!

Residents claim that 400 tube lights are left switched on the entire day at the Bandra skywalk; MMRDA and ad agency indulge in blame game

Mumbai is known to be the city that never sleeps and it seems that the Bandra (West) skywalk wants to literally live up to that saying as the lights on the skywalk are left switched on 24X7. At a time whenu00a0 the state is struggling to find sources of power to meet the ever-increasing demands of the citizens, more than 400 tube lights are left on round-the-clock, claim residents.
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What a waste! Residents allege that the tube lights on the Bandra
skywalk are on even during the day.

Fed up of the wastage, Vijay Gore, a resident and a social worker, had written a letter to Reliance Energy about the issue (copy of the letter available with MiD DAY). "I have been noticing for four months that the tube lights at the Bandra skywalk are on at all hours. I have written letters to the authorities as well. There are more than 400 tube lights, which are left on."

Sunil Sakpal, who uses the skywalk every day, said, "The first day, I thought that the tube lights must have been left on for testing. However, after a week, I went and asked the guard about it and he said he didn't have a clue. After that the lights have been on during the day as well." The continuous use of electricity on the skywalk has resulted in a bill of Rs 44,000 in April.

Commenting on the amount of usage, Ashok Pendse, a power expert said, "A normal tube light consumes 40 watts of electricity. If there are 400 tube lights that are switched on for approximately five hours (between 6-11 pm), the energy consumption should be 2,400 kilowatt-hour (kwh) and the bill should be anywhere between Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000. However, if the bill is Rs 44,000, the tube lights must have been left on during the day as well."

Rs 44,000 Amount of the electricity bill for the month of April 2011

The Other Side
Executive Engineer Vani, MMRDA said, "Our work was limited to construction. After that, we gave a contract to an ad agency Proactive In And Out Advertising Private Limited, which is responsible for maintenance and payment of bills."u00a0 However, an official from the agency claimed that they were not responsible for the maintenance of the skywalk. He said, "As per my knowledge, the lights were on for two days for pre-monsoon checks."u00a0 A senior Reliance Energy official said, "MMRDA had given us in writing that the electricity wouldn't be used for publicity purposes and if they are doing so, then the current tariff plan will change."