LED streetlights to save 50% energy

Charanjit Singh Teja

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 19

The Municipal Corporation (MC) has installed as many as 3,500 LED lights under the Energy Efficient Street Lights (EESL), a project of the Centre government. The MC has set a target to save at least 50 per cent energy.

According to senior officials of the MC there are total of 66,976 streetlights in the city. The EESL will replace all the ordinary lights with LED streetlights. As per information, the MC pays between Rs 90 lakh to Rs 1 crore electricity bill every month. Officials are expecting that installation of LED lights will also reduce the bill amount.

The civic body will spend Rs 18 to 20 crore on installation of the streetlights. The operating company will provide maintenance for seven years.

Parduman Singh, superintending engineer (streetlights), said, “Streetlight is among the basic service, which the MC is bound to provide to residents. We are working to reduce our expenses. By installing LED lights we expect to save 50 per cent energy. It means the electricity bill will be reduced to Rs 50 lakh or even less per month.” Moreover, LED lights were more efficient than ordinary lights, he added.

In the first phase, the MC has replaced lights on major roads and in the posh areas. As per the official figure, 3,500 lights have been installed. Now, the operating company is conducting a survey to know where LED streetlights are required. The inner areas and streets will get streetlights after the survey.

Officials claimed that the work would be completed within the next six months. As per the recommendation of the smart city project solar panels will also be installed on streetlights.