Bhubaneswar, Aug. 7: Come Diwali, diyas and fairy lamps will not solely illuminate Sambalpur.

The city is undergoing a major overhaul ahead of the festive season, which will see major sections illuminated by October.

"The execution of the LED street light project by the roads and buildings department is on in full swing. It is expected to be completed by October," said Sambalpur Municipal Corporation commissioner Bimalendu Rai.

The authorities have already started installing new poles along the median of major roads as part of the Rs 6-crore project.

The roads that are going to be covered under the project include the Ring Road, Big Bazaar-Khetrajpur Road, Fatak-Ainthapali Main Road, Dhanupali-Gobintola Road, Gobintola- Putibandh Road and Zilla School-Laxmi Talkies Road.

Besides, the roads running in front of Sambalpur University and the Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology in Burla will also be illuminated.

Sambalpur Municipal Corporation's light inspector Swarup Pattnaik said the work was going on in full swing.

However, work on the road from Zilla School Chhak to Laxmi Talkies Chhak will begin after the relocation of electric poles.

"The Western Electricity Supply Company will submit the estimate for shifting the poles shortly," he said.

Pattnaik said high-mast lights would also be installed at 11 strategic locations across the city.

Prominent among locations are the entrance to Dhankauda from National Highway-6, St Jones' School Chhak, Bareipali Chhak, Stadium Chhak, Pantha Nivas Chhak, the backyard of Samaleswari Temple, and the new park near Sambalpur University in Burla.

Sambalpur resident Bikash Meher said: "The roads are getting crowded with the expansion of the centuries-old city and ever-increasing vehicular population. The illumination of city roads will help commuters and motorists immensely."

A traffic police official said: "With the commissioning of the project, the number of road accidents in the city will certainly fall."