Berhampur Municipal Corporation employees install high-mast lights on a post in Berhampur. Picture by Gopal Krishna Reddy

Berhampur, March 3: The civic body has decided to install 18 high-mast light posts at various junctions in the city.

“We have already installed high-mast lights at Old Bus Stand, Gandhi Nagar Junction, Courtpeta Square and Utkal Talkies Square,” said Sukant Kumar Sabat, assistant engineer (electrical) of the Berhampur Municipal Corporation.

“We have proposed to install high-mast lights at Gosaninuagaon Square, Gopabandhu Square near Bijipur, PVN Petrol Pump Square, Rukmini Cinema Hall Square, City Hospital Road, Aska Road 1st Gate Square, Khallikote College Square, Ambapua near Bibek Bihar, Corporation Road Junction and Gandhi Nagar Junction. A sum of Rs 5 lakh is being spent on each high mast light post,” Sabat said.

Cyclone Phailin has damaged six high-mast lights and 14 semi-high mast lights. The six high-mast lights, which were damaged by Phailin, were at Kamapalli Square, Bijipur Square, Engineering School Square, Tata Benz Square, Gate Bazaar Square and SNT Road Square.

“Many important junctions plunged into darkness after Phailin. Though the main roads have now been lighted up, most of the roads in the interior portions are still dark. The authorities should take urgent steps to lighten the interior roads,” said Abani Kumar Padhy, a teacher who resides at Ram Nagar.

As a part its street light improvement programme, the municipal corporation has fitted 14 sodium vapour lights between Old Bus Stand and Church Road, 180 sodium vapour lights between Kamapalli and Engineering School Square, 160 sodium vapour lights between Gate Bazaar and Aska Road 1st Gate Square, 25 LED lights between Courtpeta and New Bus Stand and 25 LED lights between Lanjipalli High School and Bypass Road, said Sabat.