Mystery Surrounds UDF Councillors’ Pressure to Release Funds for Substandard Streetlights in Kannur Corporation

Kannur: Serious allegations of irregularities have surfaced in the Kannur Corporation after reports emerged that United Democratic Front (UDF) councillors are allegedly pressuring officials to release payments for streetlights installed in violation of contract specifications. The controversy involves a major streetlight installation project under which 2,500 lights were to be purchased and installed during the 2023–24 financial year.

According to reports, the tender for the project clearly specified the technical standards for the streetlights. However, an inspection by the engineering department revealed that the contractor installed only 568 streetlights meeting the approved specifications, while 1,932 lights were of half the required quality or capacity. Despite this, the contractor reportedly demanded full payment as per the tendered rate for all 2,500 units.

The engineering wing of the Corporation refused to approve payment for the substandard installations, stating that the bill could not be cleared for lights that did not meet the tender requirements. This decision reportedly angered the UDF councillors, who, during a recent council meeting, verbally abused engineering department officials for withholding the payment.

Deputy Mayor P. Indira, along with other UDF councillors, insisted that the payment be released immediately without further inspection. However, the engineering officials maintained that payment had already been made for the lights meeting the specifications and that the remaining amount would only be released after proper verification.

Sources indicate that the Corporation leadership, including the Mayor, sided with the contractor and even threatened disciplinary action against the engineers who refused to compromise. Despite the pressure, the engineering team stood firm, insisting on adherence to contractual norms.

The incident has sparked widespread suspicion about the motives behind the councillors’ insistence on paying the contractor in full. The controversy comes on the heels of another scandal involving alleged irregularities in the tendering process for the Manchappalam sewage treatment plant, intensifying concerns about large-scale corruption within the Corporation’s infrastructure projects.