Overview
- BMC and BEST are deploying about 5,000 LED poles across Colaba’s slum bylanes, with roughly 2,500 installed and the next phase underway.
- The project is estimated at Rs 8–10 crore, with funding facilitated by Colaba MLA and Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar.
- Installations target pockets including Ganesh Murti Nagar, Shiv Shakti Nagar and Machhimar Nagar, prioritizing the tightest, least-lit lanes.
- Officials shifted from earlier solar trials due to weak charging in shaded lanes, battery life issues and theft.
- Residents report better visibility and perceived safety improvements, and backers say the approach could be replicated in other Mumbai slum clusters.