Bengaluru: Central City Corporation Tuesday suspended executive engineer (electrical) HV Ramesh for alleged dereliction of duty after a surprise inspection by Greater Bengaluru development minister Krishna Byre Gowda revealed widespread failures in streetlight maintenance.The action follows an inspection conducted by the minister on the evening of Aug 28 along the Hudson Circle–Chalukya Circle stretch, during which 140 of the 222 streetlight poles inspected were found to have non-functional lights. The findings raised concerns over pedestrian and commuter safety on one of the city’s key arterial corridors.According to officials, the minister had repeatedly directed civic authorities to ensure proper upkeep of streetlights and address maintenance lapses. Two review meetings were held on the issue, including one on Aug 4, during which officials were specifically instructed to closely monitor streetlight functionality and rectify faults without delay.Despite these directions, the engineer allegedly failed to ensure effective maintenance of the streetlighting network under his jurisdiction. Civic authorities said the continued lapses reflected negligence in the discharge of official duties and warranted disciplinary action.In the suspension order issued Tuesday, the corporation stated that the officer had not complied with repeated instructions issued by the govt and senior authorities regarding streetlight maintenance. Officials said the move underscores the administration’s focus on accountability and the need to ensure that basic civic infrastructure is maintained efficiently.The suspension takes immediate effect, while further departmental proceedings are expected to follow.
