 |
| Solar lights (in picture extreme right) will illuminate the stretch from Bodhgaya Nagar Panchayat office to Surajpura and Tika Bigha. Pictures by Suman |
Gaya, March 12: The holy city of Bodhgaya is all set to dazzle in a green way. As many as 470 solar lights will illuminate eight thoroughfares of the town using eco-friendly renewable energy.
Preeti Singh, the chairperson of the Bodhgaya Nagar Panchayat, said: “The objective behind installing the solar streetlights is to save power and ensure uninterrupted lighting arrangement in the heritage city.”
The project, estimated to cost the exchequer around Rs 5.3 crore, would be executed under the Support for Urban Reform in Bihar. The UK-based Department for International Development will also support the project.
The eight stretches identified for the project are from the Bodhgaya Nagar Panchayat office to Surajpura (50 lights) and Tika Bigha (30), Sujata Bypass to old block office (90), Bhagalpur Road (100), Root Institute to Mor (17), Daheriya Bigha to Tekuna Mor (100), Ningma monastery to Rampur (33) and Hotel Embassy to Miyan Bigha (50).
Electric poles with an underground cable network will be laid every 30m on the identified roads.
The proposal, approved at a board meeting of the Bodhgaya Nagar Panchayat, was sent to the state urban development and the housing department last July, said chief executive officer of the civic body Sushil Kumar Mishra.
In December last year, chief minister Nitish Kumar approved the city development plan for Bodhgaya that included the proposal to install solar lights. The funds are yet to be released, though.
At least 83 mini high- mast lights would also be installed in the Bodhgaya Nagar Panchayat area, including the periphery of Kalchakra Ground and primary health centres.