Celebrating Diwali in style

TL;DR: This post is about how I have tried to create a deepak just before the Diwali on the open street map by adding all the street lamps near my area in 2024.

Street Lamps

Street lamps plays an important role towards the safety. Street lamps gives confidence and reduces nuances in a neighbourhood. It also increases visibility while driving. By watching the street lamps on the OSM before going on the street makes a person confident. It also helps how developed a neighbourhood is.

Inspiration

In 2024, I got introduced to OSM Bengaluru Telegram channel. There I came across a post where Prasanna was mapping street lamps on the OSM.

Does it look like a deepak?

Background efforts

• I have walked one street lamp at a time and mapped all these street lamps manually. There were instances when I walked 3 KMs on a single go.
• All these lamps are color mapped; there are yellow and white lamps.
• I travelled these areas post sunset to make sure all the lamps are in working condition.

Acknowledgements

I moved to Hyderabad. I hope someone will take forward the tasks I left at Bengaluru to the next level. Here is a thank you note:

• I thank all the volunteers of OSM who mapped the roads and buildings to make it easy for me to place the lamps.
• I would also like to thank the developers of Every Door app without which placing the lamps on the map would not have been easier.
• Finally, I would like to thank Prasanna Venkadesh whose post in OSM Bengaluru group inspired me to start this.