Khandelwal Purvesh Ganesh

UM4000-1

Lighting Morbi: Smarter Streets, Safer Nights

This project explores how Morbi can transform its streetlighting system to be more efficient, reliable, and responsive to citizens' needs. With over 25,000 streetlights in place, but many not functioning as intended, the proposal focuses on improving maintenance practices, introducing clear operating procedures, and establishing a Mini-ICCC for better coordination. Drawing inspiration from successful models in Pune and Dholera, the project suggests practical steps that match the city’s current capacity while laying the foundation for smarter systems. The aim is to ensure safer streets, reduce energy waste, and make everyday urban services work better for the people of Morbi.


Report Content

City Profile-Urban lighting is critical to Morbi’s mobility and safety. The project identifies streetlighting as a foundational issue, directly affecting quality of life and night-time accessibility. Morbi's growing population and industrial growth contrast with aging public infrastructure. With 13 wards and an expanding urban edge, the need for better lighting coverage is urgent.

Policy Framework-The proposal aligns with national energy efficiency goals under EESL, SLNP, and NIUA’s service delivery standards,ensuring regulatory compliance and scalable urban service models.

Current O&M Practices-The existing manual system lacks defined workflows, preventive inspections, and structured maintenance cycles. Lights are often connected without junction boxes, causing inefficiency and frequent failures.

Ground Survey & Blackout Zones-Surveys reveal critical blackout zones, including streets with non-functional or absent lighting. The visual gap analysis highlights safety concerns, particularly in high-footfall and peri-urban areas.

Citizen Perception Analysis-Field feedback indicates poor satisfaction with lighting services. Residents cite slow repairs, lack of complaint follow-up, and safety risks as core concerns needing responsive governance.

Problem Diagnosis-Major gaps include the absence of SOPs, skilled maintenance staff, tracking mechanisms, and timely procurement. Structural and procedural issues delay service delivery and increase public dissatisfaction.

Best Practice References-The cities of Dholera and Pune present contrasting but complementary examples for Morbi. Dholera’s integrated approach to smart infrastructure includes automated lighting embedded in its city-level grid with proactive asset mapping and centralized controls—showing what's possible in a greenfield context. Pune, on the other hand, offers a more relatable brownfield example, where municipal reforms and Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) helped restructure manual operations into a citywide AMC-based model. Both examples emphasize the value of clear SLAs, preventive maintenance, and institutional coordination—elements that can be tailored to Morbi’s current maturity and fiscal constraints.

Strategic Vision for Morbi-A phased implementation of a Mini-ICCC is proposed to centralize basic operations like complaint tracking, maintenance schedules, and manual inspection logs. The vision is not to leap into complex tech but to create a foundational layer where manual operations are better managed, monitored, and eventually integrated into smart systems at scale.

Way Forward-A pilot with 500 smart LED poles and install a Mini-ICCC unit within the MMC building, leveraging EESL’s ESCO model and funding support from the 15th Finance Commission. The Mini-ICCC will serve as a control hub for real-time monitoring, fault logging, and performance tracking—without the cost intensity of a full-scale ICCC. The roadmap enables phased expansion, stakeholder training, and future tech upgrades while remaining rooted in Morbi’s ground realities.