Container Road remains dark, after installing 1,100 lights

Most of the 1,100 lights that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) installed as early as March 2025 on the 17 km-long Container Road (NH 966A) connecting Vallarpadam International Container Transshipment Terminal to Kalamassery are still non-functional. As a result, much of the busy, accident-prone area remains pitch black.

The agency agreed to install adequate lighting along the entire four-lane Container Road following intervention by the Kerala High Court, State Human Rights Commission (SHRC), NGOs, road safety enthusiasts and public representatives in the wake of more than two dozen fatal accidents, especially involving two-wheeler drivers and parked container trucks, in the last decade.

“Over time, apart from accidents, the corridor has become a hub for criminal activity and dumping of waste, all under cover of darkness,” police said.

Road safety enthusiast CJ Johnson had been addressing the issue with the SHRC since 2015. Later, MP Hibi Eden raised the issue in the Lok Sabha. Following this, NHAI installed 1,100 lights under the ₹7.20 crore project. “It’s a shame that most of the lights are still not working due to delays in charging,” he said.

Mr Johnson said a lack of lighting made pedestrians and two-wheeler drivers most vulnerable to accidents and even crime at night. On an average, around ₹ 50 lakh is required to build one kilometer of NH in Kerala, including land cost. He added that lights can be installed in such an area for around Rs 50 lakh, which is just 1% of the total cost per kilometer.

The Aam Aadmi Party had taken up the issue with the Central government’s Central Public Grievance Redressal and Monitoring System and Prime Minister’s Office (CMO) portal late last year. “Later Kerala State Electricity Board [KSEB] Responding in January, the party’s district secretary Sujith Sukumaran said many streetlights and high mast lights under the Kalamassery electricity division could be operated only if NHAI deposits the estimated amount sent in December 2025.

NHAI, on the other hand, responded on March 23 by saying that its “audit consultant” had given the issue top priority and discussions were ongoing with KSEB and other relevant authorities. NHAI should expedite payment, he added.

Responding to the issue, NHAI sources attributed the delay in making street lights functional to the estimated demand of over ₹ 1.05 crore as the expense of providing power connections to the lights. They said the issue was awaiting clarification.