MUMBAI, Dec. 1 -- In the maze of Colaba's most congested slum settlements, where residents long navigated evenings by the light of shopfront bulbs or mobile torches, a quiet transformation is underway. The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), along with BEST, has launched a large-scale LED streetlighting project aimed at brightening some of the neighbourhoods. Nearly 5,000 lighting poles are planned under the initiative, which has already seen over 2,500 poles installed across the area's narrowest and most cluttered lanes. The remaining installations are currently in progress. The project, estimated to cost between Rs.8 crore and Rs.10 crore, has been pushed and facilitated by Colaba MLA and Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar. According to civic officials, it is the first time such a comprehensive illumination effort has been specifically undertaken in Mumbai's slum clusters. "This first-of-its-kind slum illumination project has been initiated in Colaba. Street lighting in slums was a challenge until now, but this joint effort between the BMC and BEST has changed that," said former BJP corporator Makarand Narwekar. "We hope that this model is replicated across the city." Settlements such as Ganesh Murti Nagar, Shiv Shakti Nagar and Machhimar Nagar are already experiencing the shift from dimly lit lanes to bright, navigable streets. For residents, the change is not merely cosmetic. "Improved visibility has made daily life easier for us. The lighting has also increased safety and reduced criminal activity," said Atul Pujari, a resident of Machhimar Nagar, where several poles have recently been activated. Narwekar said the civic body had earlier experimented with solar-powered lighting in parts of the area, but the plan had to be abandoned. "Limited sunlight in the inner lanes made charging inefficient. Battery issues and theft also posed challenges," he explained. "LED street lighting, supported by BMC and BEST infrastructure, has proven a more reliable solution for these densely populated pockets." Calling the ongoing work a "significant milestone", Narwekar added that similar illumination drives could benefit many of Mumbai's other dense slum belts, where poor lighting remains a longstanding concern....