Cuttack, Oct. 1: Chief minister Naveen Patnaik today inaugurated a much-awaited mordernised street-lighting facility at Badambadi.

The project was essential keeping in view the heavy traffic on the 2.2-km stretch from Badambadi to Madhupatna Square, particularly during the night.

“We are happy that the new street-lighting system has been inaugurated today. Most of the lights were not functioning earlier,” said Ramakant Swain, a local resident.

Swain said the work for removal of old streetlights and poles had begun in August and for one month, commuters had been facing difficulties.

The modernised street-lighting facility project has been executed by the Odisha Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (IDCO) while the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) will carry out regular repair and maintenance of the lights.

IDCO manager (electricals) M. Amiya said 250 Watts metal halide lights have been installed on 74 poles on the entire stretch.

Six servers of 20KV have been installed for automatic turning on and off of the streetlights. The total project cost has been estimated at Rs 55 lakh.

Naveen also laid the foundation stone for an Integrated Sanitation Improvement Project here today. He said the project would free citizens from the woes and miseries of drainage and sewerage problems in the city.

“The project aims at reducing frequent problems of inundation in low-lying areas and poor sanitary conditions. The work is expected to begin in November and is targeted to be completed by 2015,” he said.

Naveen said the integrated sanitation project, which is being implemented with assistance from Japan International Cooperation Agency, would benefit a population of 10 lakh.

JICA chief engineer Asima Nanada Mohanty said the project envisages construction of new sewerage facilities and 255km of underground gravity sewers and 14 pumping stations with two sewage treatment plants at Bidanasi (36 MLD capacity) and Matagajpur (16 MLD capacity).

“Twelve public toilets will be renovated and a slum sanitation improvement project will be implement in 10 identified slums to facilitate sanitation in public places,” said Mohanty.

He said that out of the total project cost of Rs 757.44 crore, the government of Japan would give Rs 624.65 crore as loan assistance and the rest would be borne by the state government.

The loan will be repaid by the state government in 40 years with a moratorium period of 10 years with an interest rate of 0.75 per cent per annum.