By Apurva Bhatt

Here’s some bad news for Shiv Sena. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has refused to replace the LED lights at Marine Drive and JJ flyover. Infact Fadnavis has  announced that the government would direct all municipal corporations in Maharashtra to use those lights, instead of the conventional yellow, sodium vapour lights.

Notwithstanding opposition from its ally the Shiv Sena, Fadnavis said the LED lights would be put up at playgrounds, gardens and other public places as they save energy. The issue was raised through a calling attention motion in the legislative assembly by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Amit Satam and others. Fadnavis said surveys by reputed institutions have proved that LED lights are better. 

Sena legislator and former Mumbai mayor Sunil Prabhu said the Lux level of LED lights begins to reduce very early. NCP legislator Bhaskar Jadhav said the illumination with LED lights at Marine Drive was very poor and warned of law and order problems. Fadnavis said he had inspected the illumination at Marine Drive and did not find any problem, but said that he was willing to revisit the place. The chief minister said in a written reply that the Citizens' Forum had surveyed 107 roads and recorded poor illumination.

The municipal commissioner had ordered a survey based on its report. Of 49 roads surveyed, poor illumination was found at 17 roads. While Fadnavis admitted that the deputy police commissioner zone-9 had complained about poor illumination to the municipal commissioner, he said it was not proper to say crime occurs mainly due to poor lighting.