LED lights from Forest Park Chhak to Capital Hospital Chhak. Picture by Sanjib Mukherjee

Bhubaneswar, Aug. 3: Energy-efficient street lights will be illuminating city stretches within the next nine months.

The project involves the state government, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the private operator that will carry out the plan at the ground level.

As the three agencies have signed the state support agreement last week, the Mumbai-based private company will soon start implementing the project.

“Though the process had started last year, the elections and other things delayed it. After the state support agreement was signed, the work will start and according to the agreement, the private agency will end the work within nine months,” said BMC commissioner Krishan Kumar.

The company had in February fitted 54 energy-saving street lights on the median between Capital Hospital and Shishu Bhavan Square stretch.

The officials in the BMC said that according to the plan, 20,000 street lights would be made energy efficient to ensure around Rs1.2 crore annual saving to the corporation on account of power bill and purchase of electrical fittings.

Out of the existing 36,000 street lights in the city and outskirts, around 20,000 will come under the energy efficient programme.

The work will be carried out in phases. In the first phase, 14,000 lights will be fitted and this will be followed by 6,000 in the second phase.

Once the new lights are installed, the corporation will save around 80 per cent on account of power bill. Of the total savings made, the private company will get 90 per cent, while the BMC’s share will be 10 per cent.

Sources in the BMC said that the civic body had to invest Rs 3 crore every year to purchase electrical fittings and bulbs, but once these energy efficient light emitting diode (LED) bulbs are installed, this expenditure would drop drastically.

The corporation, however, will have to pay Rs 300 per light as operational and maintenance charge to the company.

Officials said the LED lights would consume 90watt or less power unlike the currently used 120watt bulbs. These lights will be fitted with manual dimmers to reduce power consumption after midnight when there is scarcely any crowd on the roads.

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a sister concern of the World Bank, had last year signed an agreement with the BMC to ensure implementation of the energy-efficient lighting project here.

As consultant for the project, the IFC conducted the preliminary survey of street lights in the city and helped the civic body in selecting the appropriate agency to execute the work.

Besides, the civic body would take up another project to light up highly populated areas on the outskirts.

A survey will shortly be undertaken for the project, said a senior BMC officer.