CITY HALL will step-up efforts to maintain the lack of illumination near a playground for a Kepayan neighbourhood, as well as roads in Likas and Kolombong.
This action follows feedback from a Taman Kirana rate-payer, and another from Leang Court, about the safety hazards posed by the unlit common areas in near these residential properties.
They feared that unscrupulous parties might use the cover of darkness to carry out some misdeeds at these locations.
A driver whose office is based at the Sedco Industrial Estate, on the other hand, was unhappy about the inoperative streetlights along the road leading to this commercial area.
These individuals provided Hotline with the locations of those sections which were pitch black at night. This information was forwarded to City Hall.
A spokesman for its Engineering Department said its electrical contractors went to Lorong Kirana, Jalan Bunga Raja Kayu, Jalan Istiadat and Jalan Mangga, shortly after becoming aware of these problems.
He said several mechanisms, servicing the streetlights along the first two roads in Kepayan, were found to have been damaged.
Lorong Kirana extended for some 82 metres, according to him, with the open space located at the cul-de-sac. He said drivers had to travel up Jalan Bunga Raja Kayu to reach the junction to Taman Kirana.
“Repairs were made on the spot, with the contractor’s workers changing four 250-watt lanterns, three 250-watt ballasts, four ignitors and four bulbs,” he said.
“A sky-master was deployed to facilitate efforts to have the lights restored.”
He explained that a “ballast” regulated the electrical current to the lanterns and provided sufficient voltage to start the lanterns, according to him.
An “ignitor”, meanwhile, functioned as a starter to increase the initial voltage to make the lanterns glow, according to him.
“A check of our records showed that the Taman Kirana rate-payer contacted us on July 2. At the time, our technician were informed about her concerns and the streetlight woes were dealt with a month later.
“We suspect that the lights failed again after this and, for whatever reason, however, they were not attended to until recently.”
The respective contractor had since been chided for the months’ long delay in settling this case, according to him.
“We have asked the individual to buck up and be more prompt in fulfilling his/her responsibilities, when it comes to looking after the streetlights in Taman Kirana, so that such a hold-up does not recur.
“Our senior staff will be monitoring the contractor’s progress to ensure that he/she complies with these instructions.”
Where Leang Villa was concerned, the spokesman said two faulty 16-amp miniature circuit breakers (MCBs) caused the lights along Jalan Istiadat, near the junction to the condominiums, to fail.
The road spans some 665metres between the Jalan Kompleks Sukan and Jalan Tun Fuad Stephens roundabouts
“Another contractor had new MCBs installed in place of the damaged ones that night and then tested the lights to ensure that they were functioning as they should,” the spokesman said.
“The individual returned to this part of Likas the next day to confirm that the stretch was properly illuminated.”
A MCB prevented electrical hazards by detecting and interrupting abnormal currents and short circuits, according to him.
In the case of the access road to the Sedco Industrial Estate, the spokesman said the mechanisms inside the control panel for the lights on Jalan Mangga were found to have tripped.
“The contractor’s workers reset these mechanisms, before confirming that the lights were coming on as they should.”
He said Jalan Mangga, which extended for some 655metres between the Jalan Lintas junction and the Jalan Kolombong roundabout, was kept under surveillance for some time afterwards.
“During this period, the contractor confirmed that nothing was amiss with these lights.”
