Bengaluru spared from darkness as contractors end strike, switch on streetlights

Representational image

Bengaluru: Streetlights in Karnataka's IT city – Bengaluru – will continue to keep the city glowing thanks to an agreement between the civic administration here and the electrical contractors.

According to a TNM report, hundreds of electrical contractors in Bengaluru had earlier threatened to go on a strike over payment of Rs 35 crore due to them. However, the strike was called off following a meeting between them and the BBMP officials here. 

The strike would have plunged several localities of the hi-tech city into darkness and created problems for the local residents.

Electrical contractors have the task of switching on streetlights in the city. They also attend complaints made by residents and carry out repair works.  

Streetlights in several areas of the city including stretches of Residency Road, Corporation Circle, Lower Agaram Road were switched off on Wednesday until talks with the BBMP were held.

While the talks were still on, switchmen agreed to call off their strike and switched on streetlights in all 198 wards in the city. 

Earlier in the day, the contractors had staged a protest outside the BBMP office demanding pending payments. The contractors later held talks with BBMP officials during which they agreed to switch on street lights but refused to carry out repair works.

They also refused to attend complaints from local residents until the payment is made.  

Following the talks, the BBMP offered to pay half of the amount now and promised to pay the rest by Friday, which was rejected by the contractors.