Call it a befitting Diwali gift for lakhs of citizens of Chas in Bokaro district.

The township's roads and lanes, which otherwise mostly remain shrouded in darkness, have started glowing bright and beautiful from Thursday evening with the municipal corporation successfully installing 1,325 LED bulbs in 30 wards, including 6km each of NH-23 and NH-32 passing through the region.

The bulbs have been fixed on the newly erected 80 iron poles, standing tall at 30 feet.

More than Rs 2 crore has been spent on the project, which is aimed at lighting up the entire Chas township covering a total area of 12sqkm.

"The LED bulbs are a Diwali gift to the people of this township. Illuminating Chas was the need of the hour," said Chas mayor Bholu Paswan.

Speaking about the project to The Telegraph on Friday, town commissioner Sandip Kumar said that as many as 1,225 LEDs had been already installed in all 30 wards as per recommendations given by ward councillors depending on the requirements.

"This apart, 100 more bulbs had been fixed on main roads, lanes and important highway points. We will put up another 100 LEDs at important crossings of roads and side lanes, including NH stretches, to light up the entire township that hitherto remained in darkness," Kumar added.

The civic body has started already sprucing up the township ahead of Diwali and Chhath, pressing into service 200 staff, seven tractors and two excavators for cleaning of roads, lanes and drains besides water bodies and ghats. Fifteen senior officers have been appointed to monitor the job while ward councillors are also keeping a close eye.

Mayor Paswan has sanctioned Rs 6 lakh for building five temporary wooden bridges on river Garga so that devotees can offer arghya with ease. "We will complete constructing the temporary bridges on river Garga in the next seven to eight days, which will help Chhath vratis perform puja without any problem. We are on our job and are sure that Chas township will be clean before Diwali. Cleanliness drives will be regularly carried out to ensure that the township remains spic and span till Chhath," said town commissioner Kumar.

"The councillors and I are touring all the wards to see if more lights are needed in the township while keeping a tab on the ongoing cleanliness drive," the mayor said.

What else can the civic body do to make Chas a better place to live in? Tell ttkhand@abpmail.com