Bhubaneswar, July 15: Six famous temples of the Temple City will be lit within six months as the state tourism department has planned to illuminate them with light-emitting diode (LED) lighting system to promote tourism.

The LED lighting technology will also ensure that less electricity is consumed and there is less heating on the heritage structures.

The Rs 4-crore lighting plan will include a replacement of the old lighting system in the famous Lingaraj temple and new lighting arrangements in the Mukteswar group of temples — Rajarani, Parsurameswar and Rameswar.

The project, which was actually initiated two year ago, did not materialise because of a delay in getting permission for the lighting from the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

The Laxmaneswar group of temples — Laxmaneswar, Bharateswar and Satrughn-eswar — however, could have the lighting arrangements as the temple complex is under the control of the state archaeology department.

Senior engineer of state tourism department J.K. Das said: “Funds will soon be available for the temples’ illumination as the Centre is keen on the development of a mega circuit plan where the temples and monuments of Puri and Bhubaneswar and Chilika will be grouped together. Though the process started earlier, it took some time to obtain permission for the project from the national conservation body and we got the papers at hand only a month ago.”

Das further said: “Earlier, monuments were illuminated with halogen lights which used to generate a lot of heat. As the upper surfaces of the ancient structures are sensitive to light, the heat generated by the halogen lights could have had a negative impact on these structures. But the LED lights are cooler alternatives and can also include colours of different combinations to give the stone structures an all-new look at night.”

The LED lights will also consume 80 per cent less electricity and thus would help in having low maintenance and running cost. A 2-kilowatt light with conventional method can be replaced by a 250 watt LED light. On the other hand, there will be multi-colour lighting system in Rajarani and Mukteswar temples.

In another development, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) 1has taken up an initiative to bear the cost of the LED lighting plan for these temples. However, the Lingaraj Temple Trust will bear the electricity consumption charges of the Lingaraj temple.

“We have already worked out an MoU, which will be jointly signed by the tourism department, the ASI and the BMC. Once the MoU is inked, the maintenance part will be taken care of as it is essential for the tourism aspect,” Das said.

Sources in the tourism department said the work order would be issued soon after floating the tender and the work would be finished within six months.

Tour operator Debasish Mohapatra said: “Illumination of monuments has become a huge success in New Delhi and Old Delhi. In the Old Town area here, the formula can be replicated to attract tourists to visit the beautiful monuments during evening hours.”

The state government has already started a project to beautify the temples and its surroundings, lay new roads, build new markets and free encroached lands around these structures. It is believed that illumination of the heritage structures will further boost tourism in the capital city.