The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) has approved a ₹94.10 crore project to maintain and upgrade the city’s street lighting system for one year. The project will cover the maintenance of 3.01 lakh street lights and 507 high mast lights across Chennai. As part of this effort, 40,688 new LED lights will be purchased for ₹39.66 crore to replace damaged units. The maintenance work alone is estimated to cost ₹54.44 crore. In a significant shift, the GCC will now outsource the maintenance work to private contractors instead of relying on its in-house electrical department. To support the project, the civic body plans to hire electricians, contract workers, and necessary equipment such as hydraulic vehicles and ladders. With 420 permanent staff expected to retire soon, 152 contract workers will be recruited to fill the gap. The contract-based system, already operational in 10 city zones, will now be expanded across Chennai to enhance efficiency. Contractors will be held accountable for timely repairs and operations. Penalties ranging from 5% to 15% per faulty light pole will be imposed for unresolved complaints. Failure to maintain components such as junction boxes and feeder pillars will be treated as non-functional lights and penalized. Contractors must also follow the official lighting schedule and submit ON/OFF reports every 15 days, with a ₹500 fine for non-compliance. The initiative aims to ensure better lighting infrastructure and quicker service response throughout the city.