Bhubaneswar: The housing and urban development department has slammed the municipal corporation and its executing partner for slowing down the project for installation of energy efficient LEDs on the dark stretches here.

Reviewing the work, the department has found the civic body's executing partner has surveyed 1,010 points of installation against the February target of 2,787. Also, no progress has been made in marking pole positions and installing lights.

The state government has decided to replace all the conventional street lights with energy-efficient LED lightsunder the recently-launched Unnati scheme.

A private executing agency has been asked to implement it in a phased manner.

According to the agreement, the executing agency will have to make a survey of different roads and localities and fit the new lights according to road condition and specific requirements of various areas. Sources said not all the roads or localities needed similar installations for the street lights.#"The progress of the work is found to be very slow during the review meeting. We have directed the nodal officers concerned to expedite the survey and approach the municipal commissioner in case of any hurdle. The civic officials have also been asked to provide all possible support to the agency in the work," said an official of the department.

Reports said since the Unnati scheme's launch in September last year, survey has been completed for 4,359 points of installation, while 901 poles have been marked so far. "We have issued orders to our engineers and other support staff of the electrical wing to help the agency startthe street-light job on time. Our officials will help conduct the survey of various dark patches of the city. We hope to light up all dark patches by the end of this year," said mayor Ananta Narayan Jena.

Old Town resident Mitrabhanu Sahoo said: "The civic body has forgotten to install LEDs in places such as Tankapani Road."