Thematic Community Service Program of ITB 2023 Presents Public Street Lighting in Cikaso Hamlet, Sumedang
By Anggun Nindita
Editor Anggun Nindita
SUMEDANG, itb.ac.id - The students of Group 10 participating in the Thematic Community Service Program (Thematic CSP) 2023 in Cikaso Hamlet, Cimarga Village, Cisitu District, Sumedang Regency, have successfully implemented the construction of Public Street Lighting and the installation of delineators. This initiative directly addresses the local residents' challenge of hindered activities due to the lack of lighting at night, especially considering the steep and slippery road conditions in this high-altitude village at 800 meters above sea level.
Fadlu Rijal, a Geophysical Engineering student from the class of 2021, shared details of the project, stating, "We installed 9 lights and revitalized 2 existing PSLs. For the delineators, there are a total of 30 points with 23 delineators along the path from Cikaso to Margawati hamlet and 7 delineators leading to Cipeundeuy Village." The installation of delineators, made from polyethylene (PE) plastic with reflective elements, aims to enhance road visibility, especially around bends and inclines, ensuring the safety of drivers, particularly at night.
The delineator installation process occurred from July 27 to July 30, 2023, with the final casting completed on August 1, 2023. As for the PSL construction, it began with the revitalization of 2 lights on August 5, 2023, followed by the installation of 9 lights on August 6-7, 2023.
The team faced challenges during the program, particularly due to the absence of cellphone signals, making it difficult to coordinate with other groups working on PSL installations in Cipeundeuy Village. Fadlu explained, "To communicate, we can only rely on handy talkies."
The installed lights have various specifications, utilizing both 50 Watt and 30 Watt non-solar lamps, and a couple of 100 Watt lamps for revitalization. While some lights are connected to galvanized poles, others are directly connected to electricity poles. The presence of abundant shade from trees in Cikaso Village makes the use of sensors and solar energy less effective.
The hope is that the installation of PJLs (Public Street Lighting) and delineators will enhance public safety during nighttime activities and reduce the risk of accidents. The students have also engaged in other community-supporting activities during this Thematic Community Service Program, including gymnastics, a literacy corner, experiments with elementary school students, village teaching, outreach on compost making, and repairing mosque pipes.
The CSP activity allows students to learn outside the campus, gaining hands-on experience and immersing themselves in community issues. Agil expressed the collective sentiment of the group, stating, "We actually came here to learn with the community and implement the knowledge we have previously gained. Hopefully, the CSP activities next year can be better and give birth to many other fresh ideas to alleviate problems in society."
Reporter: Maharani Rachmawati Purnomo (Oceanography, 2020)
Translator: Ayesha Lativa Mafaza (Postharvest Technology ‘21)
Editor: Vera Citra Utami