Sri Lankan motorists and pedestrians often face challenges when navigating Sri Lanka’s complex road networks after dark as many invariably have to move through patches where street lights are not functioning. This predicament, although common, has now become a norm for road users despite the safety and security issues it creates. How long do we, as taxpayers, have to face these challenges? A majority of private vehicles on the road have already paid their dues in taxes, which ought to see roads lit at night. However, the black-out of street lights continues.

Except for a few key highways and expressways, most roads in Sri Lanka fall under the purview of local government bodies, which are tasked to pay their bills. Over the last few decades, many have neglected to carry out this duty. According to CEB Chairperson Dr. Tilak Siyambalapitiya, for decades, local government (LG) bodies have failed to pay their dues for street lighting, leaving the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to absorb the costs. According to him, this financial burden, amounting to hundreds of millions of units of electricity annually, is ultimately transferred to the public through their electricity bills. The CEB said that there are approximately one million street lights across the country. Siyambalapitiya told The Sunday Morning that the system was plagued by inefficiencies. “We do not have adequate street lighting, and even where it exists, the design often fails to meet the requirements for proper illumination,” he said, adding that “The issues are twofold. Firstly, in terms of adequacy and quality, many street lights are either insufficient or poorly designed, failing to provide adequate lighting. Secondly, streetlights are supposed to turn on after dusk and switch off before dawn. However, this control mechanism is often mismanaged, leading to lights being either non-functional or operational at inappropriate times.” The financial responsibility for street lighting is another contentious issue. According to Siyambalapitiya, local authorities are, in principle, responsible for both the installation and maintenance of street lights, as well as the energy costs. However, this system has largely broken down. “There are significant quality issues of bulbs not being replaced, inadequate lighting, and switching problems,” he explained.  In some areas, electricity distributors like Lanka Electricity Company Ltd. (LECO) or the CEB manage the switching on and off of street lights, but in many cases, control is manual, relying on passers-by or local authority employees to switch them on and off when daylight returns. According to the CEB, this inconsistency has led to widespread complaints, with citizens noting that even expensive street lights often remain non-functional at night.

Another reason is due to the varied local government bodies involved in the management, there is no standardisation, nor automation of the lights.  Even the energy regulator, the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) has highlighted on its website that street lighting accounts for approximately 1.5% of the country’s total electricity demand. It notes that most street lights are mounted on Medium Voltage (MV) or Low Voltage (LV) poles within the distribution network, with dedicated street lighting poles primarily limited to urban areas. The PUCSL also notes that the majority of street lights are installed by local authorities or municipalities, leading to inconsistent design standards due to the involvement of multiple decision-makers with varying legal authority.

As the country grapples with this issue, the lack of a clear policy framework and accountability has evidently left consumers footing the bill for a service that should be the duty of local authorities. This raises concerns about district- and city-level governance, transparency, and the need for sustainable solutions to illuminate Sri Lanka’s streets. In light of energy and financial challenges, there have been proposals to introduce solar-powered street lights. It is learnt that the Government is considering the option seriously, with provisions planned for better automation and standardisation. While this could reduce the burden on the national grid, the success and longevity of such a project will likely depend on how practical the national policy is, what funding it will receive and good maintenance.