Four LED lights that were installed on a busy thoroughfare in south Kolkata’s Ballygunge following an accident in November were stolen last week, stunning civic officials who said theft of street lights was rare in the city.
The pole on which the lights were fitted stands at the intersection of Syed Amir Ali Avenue and Ballygunge Park Road, opposite CCFC and a stone’s throw from Modern High School for Girls.
Civic officials said the lights were installed after a nudge from mayor Firhad Hakim for better illumination at the crossing.
Each of the stolen lights was worth around Rs 10,000, said an official.
An 18-year-old girl died after the SUV in which she was traveling hit the kerb and a milk van while taking a turn towards Gurusaday Dutt Road from Syed Amir Ali Avenue in November. The Ballygunge Park Road-Syed Amir Ali Avenue intersection is right opposite Syed Amir Ali Avenue’s crossing with Gurusaday Dutt Road, the accident spot.
The KMC has lodged a police complaint. The pole that had the lights will be shifted a few metres once lights are re-installed to prevent a recurrence of theft.
A KMC official said they suspect the thieves stole the lights, which were installed 9m above the ground, by climbing a hoarding right next to it.
“We had installed the lights about a month ago. Four lights each were installed on the two flanks of Syed Amir Ali Avenue. They were installed after the mayor told us to provide better illumination on the stretch. But last week four lights on one pole were stolen,” another KMC official said.
Civic officials said theft of street lights was not common and they were taken aback by the development. “What’s more shocking was that the lights were stolen from a thoroughfare, not any lane,” said an official.
“We have launched an investigation,” said an officer of Ballygunge police station.