Cuttack, Jan. 7: The municipal corporation will shortly introduce energy-efficient smart street lights in the city.

Light emitting diodes (LED) bulbs will replaceexisting sodium vapour lights that are being used by the civic body to illuminate roads and various localities. LED bulbs consume less electricity.

The project will be implemented with assistance from International Finance Corporation (IFC).

Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) spends around Rs 6 crore on electricity bill every year.

'The IFC has already started a survey for improvised street lights that is likely to be introduced shortly,' said CMC commissioner Gyana Das.

Das said the survey was being done to get a complete picture of the illumination levels in all the major roads and localities in all the 59 wards under the corporation.

The survey will identify the number of street light points and electricity consumption so as to have a complete status of the existing street lights in the city. It will also assess the amount of lighting needed keeping in view the rush and congestion on busy roads.

A detailed project report will be submitted to the state government after completion of the survey.

'Already, 70 per cent of the survey work has been completed and we hope that the smart street lights will be installed in a phased manner in different parts of the city,' Das said.

'Installation of smart LED street lights will reduce the corporation's electricity bill by 30 per cent,' said Chiranjay Sahu, councillor of ward No. 42. He said LED street lights had already been installed at various places in Bhubaneswar.

CMC officials said there were over 17,000 street lights under the municipal corporation limits. The new lights would be introduced in a phased manner.

Umesh Das, a resident of Mahanadi Vihar,said a major problem at the moment was that street lights went out of order every few months. 'We hope the new system will be better,' said Das.