Official suspended as street lights remain off on PM Modi's route

Strict action has been taken against an official of the municipality after 12 street lights were found non-functional on the route taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Dabhoi, Vadodara district. According to a report by the Indian Express, Mahesh Vasava, the in-charge clerk of the lighting department, has been suspended for six days for his negligence. This step was taken due to the failure in maintaining street lights despite instructions issued by the municipality.

Viraj Shah, the Chief Officer of Dabhoi Municipality, issued the suspension order on October 31. Under this order, Vasava has been instructed to appear before the 'competent authority' after the suspension period to provide an explanation regarding his negligence. This action has been taken under Section 48 of the Gujarat Municipalities Act, 1963, which provides for imposing penalties on any officer or employee of the municipality for sufficient and proper reasons.

The suspension order clarified that considering the movement of VIPs through the area, various departments were assigned responsibilities by the municipality. These responsibilities included cleanliness, control of stray animals, and maintenance of street lights. As the in-charge clerk of the lighting department, the primary responsibility to ensure that street lights remained properly functional rested with Vasava. However, despite the municipality's orders, he failed to ensure that the necessary repairs were completed on time.

According to the order, the affected route starts from Sinor Chowk, passes through the Bhaugol area, and extends to Sarita Bridge. On this route, 12 street lights were not operational, while some other lights were found to be flickering. On October 31, Prime Minister Modi, Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, and other dignitaries had gone to attend the National Unity Day celebrations at the Statue of Unity. Subsequently, they were to travel to Vadodara airport by helicopter, but as it grew dark, PM Modi and other dignitaries decided to travel approximately 90 km by road to reach Vadodara airport. The highway connecting Vadodara with the Statue of Unity passes outside Dabhoi, and several main roads of the city connect to it.

The suspension letter further stated that despite instructions from this office, the necessary repairs were not carried out on time. Additionally, reference was made to the fact that repeated complaints had been made against this official in the past. Vasava's additional assigned responsibilities have also been withdrawn. According to the report obtained by the Indian Express, this action is also being seen as a result of other ongoing investigations into Vasava's work. Vasava has been directed to appear for a personal hearing on November 6 at 11 am and provide an explanation for his failure to perform his duties.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the Prime Minister of India and, holding the highest office in the country, leads various national and international programs.