The Jeddah Municipality will embark on an extensive campaign to renovate street lighting across several neighborhoods in the city for the first time in years, said Abdulaziz Al-Ghamdi, Jeddah Municipality spokesman.

The project, estimated at more than SR60 million, will include the installation of more than 2,000 new lamp posts at neighborhoods that currently do not have any lighting, including the Marwa, Haramain, Rawabi, Salama and Muhammadiyah districts.

There are several neighborhoods that have no electricity despite having lampposts, he said. “More than 800 lampposts will be replaced under the project.”

Several maintenance contracts have been signed this year with a number of providers, he said.

Many streets in Jeddah are currently unlit and neighbors complain that they move about with the help of light from houses on both sides of the streets.

Several residents have complained that they cannot get through to authorities. “We have tried to call the toll free number many times to no avail,” said Mohammed Al-Saeed and Naser Al-Zahrani.

“A lamppost recently fell on top of one of the houses in the area, causing considerable damage to the property,” said Al-Zahrani. “Luckily, no one was hurt. The owner of the house filed a report, which was redirected to the municipality. Many lampposts are rusted and can fall any time.”

“An elderly man recently fell into a pothole on our street for lack of lighting,” said Mohammed Al-Wafi, a resident living in the Al-Samir neighborhood. “Municipal authorities must continuously follow up with the situation on the ground in the city’s neighborhoods.”

Matters in the Marwa district are no different.

“I have filed several complaints to the municipality, along with fellow residents, but got zero feedback notwithstanding an official response saying that a company has been tasked with addressing the situation,” said Abdullah Al-Yanbawui. “I’ve been living in this area for a few months and no such company has approached us to resolve the problem.”