LED displays at Cubbon Park no longer working

They were installed in 2019, and have had a remarkably short life

Walk through Cubbon Park, and you come across about 50 LED boards, dormant and damaged.

These boards — set up by Bescom in 2019 — line the roads running through the park. They were meant to display information about the flora and fauna at the park, and list out dos and don’ts for visitors.

Some stopped working within months. “The LED board installed near my stand developed a glitch just a few months after it was installed. After a while, all the boards were shut down,” says Nagaraj, who runs a stall in the park.

Before the pandemic, Bescom spent Rs 4 crore on the ‘Smart Light’ project in Cubbon Park. It funded 750 smart lights, WiFi, and 50 digital display boards for the green space. “This project was set up under CSR by Bescom. After everything was installed in 2019, for almost a year Bescom took care of the maintenance. After that, we handed over responsibility to the horticulture department,” a Bescom official told Metrolife.

The horticulture department says it received several complaints from park-goers and so shut down the boards.

“After the boards were installed, there were two accidents. This was a cause of concern, as we didn’t want the boards to distract drivers. So we shut them down temporarily in 2020,” says Balakrishna H T, deputy director, horticulture.

The Cubbon Park Walkers Association also requested that the LED boards be removed.

“The boards are harmful to birds. They serve no purpose, are visually unaesthetic and hurt the eye. If we humans find the light hurtful, imagine the harm they are causing the birds,” says Umesh Kumar, president of Cubbon Park Walkers Association.

Ayesha K, a regular at the park, calls for strict regulations for LED displays. “This is a heritage park, with abundant flora and fauna. Having bright sign boards can cause harm to the pollinators and birds. Also when the boards are left switched on till 10 pm, they affect nocturnal animals,” she says.

In 2019, she noticed a fall in the number of birds in the park. “On our evening walks, we started noticing fewer and fewer birds. While we can’t be sure the boards played a part in this, I believe it is important for us to take measures to create a safe environment for the birds. This is their natural habitat that we’re borrowing,” she says.

Heritage Beku, a citizen initiative, also called for the removal of the LED signs in April 2020, stating similar reasons.

Money down the drain

The horticulture department and Bescom should have consulted urban experts and park regulars before setting up the boards, says Umesh.

“The boards were set up suddenly in 2019 and no one was consulted. Didn’t they do any research on how these boards would impact the environment? Now the boards are not in use and money has been wasted,” he rues.

He also points out that some street lights set up under the initiative, like the ones on the lane near KSLTA, have stopped working.

An advocate, he plans to take the matter to court soon. “Over the years, taxpayers’ money has been spent on Cubbon Park but no development can be seen. Money is being wasted,” he says.

The horticulture department plans to restore the boards. “Some people are petitioning for a vehicle-free Cubbon Park. If that happens, we will bring back the LED boards. These boards have a purpose,” says Balakrishna.

While LED boards usually have a shelf life of 15 years, if left dormant and poorly maintained, the screens need to be replaced.