One of the private neighborhoods on Pino Suaréz street in the municipal capital. While it is illuminated, it is not enough, according to the neighbors. Photo: Jazmín Stengel 

Jazmín Stengel (Chapala).- Although the municipal capital of Chapala has enough streetlights, the inhabitants feel insecure because many of them aren’t working or aren’t well placed, as evidenced by a tour of the San Miguel, Puerta del Horno and Plaza de Toros neighborhoods.

During the tour we interviewed more than 10 pedestrians and neighbors of the area, who said they felt unsafe despite the functioning street lights, explaining that «the lamps do not illuminate where it is most needed.”

The beginning of Privado Aguascalientes with all its lights on. Photo: Jazmín Stengel

On Privada Aguas Calientes and Prolongación Pino Suaréz, two street lights were repaired more than a year ago and have not broken down again, commented one of the neighbors, who pointed out that a well-lit street is safer for both pedestrians and residents.

A little further on, on the third bridge of Pino Suarez Street, the street lights were repaired a few months ago but have not been maintained.  

Guayabos Street, one of the darkest streets in the municipality. The neighbors say they have never had electricity here. Photo: Jazmín Stengel

The residents of Guayabos Street, from the intersection with Pino Suarez and Plutarco Elias Calles, stated that they have never had any lighting. 

In view of this problem, the coordinator of Municipal Public Services, Jose Antonio Urzua Gracían, stated that he is working full time to solve the lack of lighting in the municipality, despite being left with serious deficits in vehicles and tools since the change of administration. 

An analysis made by Antonio Urzua pointed out that in the municipality there are about 6,000 streetlamps, but only 15 to 20 percent were functional when the administration started. «We received a dark municipality, with a great number of complaints,” he said. Six months later they have managed to solve 60 to 70 percent of the problems in the towns of the Chapala municipality.  

Jóse Antonio Urzua Gracían, coordinator of Municipal Public Services in the municipality of Chapala, during the interview with Laguna. Photo: Jazmín Stengel

So far, 600 new streetlights have been purchased and 400 more have been repaired by recycling the most useful parts to others, so that only $1,200,000 pesos (about US$60,000) have been spent on repairs, in addition to 400,000 pesos (about US$20,000) on replacing wiring, which is often stolen.

The recycling strategy is useful for saving money, and also to adapt to the lamps already in place. Not all of them are the newer LED technology, and many break down and cannot be repaired due to lack of compatibility with the available parts, or because their life span has been exhausted.

Translated by Sandy Britton