Governments around the globe have welcomed LED streetlights for its energy saving features and promising cost effectiveness, but a government lighting project in Vadodara, India has recently sparked heated political debate.

Congressman from India’s third largest city Vadodara have launched a survey on July 29, 2014 to check the effectiveness of LED streetlights in the city, according to a report from The Indian Times.

Opposition Congress councilors in the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) have alleged irregularities in the city’s replacement of conventional streetlights with LEDs. In a memorandum submitted by Congress city unit president Narendra Ravat, questions were raised about the acquisition of the LED streetlights at a price higher than the retail market.

The costly streetlights failed to function after mild rains on Tuesday, said VMC opposition leader Chandrakant Shrivastava. "I visited several localities on the Dabhoi Road and the situation was the same across. They say that these lights will conserve energy. They definitely will do so as they do not work at all.”

Ravat’s memorandum noted the lights were a threat for security, and causing issues for motorists. It also highlighted the INR 180 million (US $2.96 million) invested into the streetlight upgrade failed to match the interest the civic body would have received by keeping the amount as fixed deposit. For further details please click here.