Facing flak, MC plans infra upgrade, to replace 45K LED streetlights in Chandigarh

Facing criticism over the non-functional streetlights across the city, the Municipal Corporation is planning a major project to modernise the lighting infrastructure.

The civic body has prepared a detailed project report (DPR) for the modernisation of the public lighting infrastructure in the city. The project is aimed at enhancing energy efficiency, reducing operational costs and improving public safety. It involves operations, maintenance and phase-wise replacement of approximately 45,781 LED streetlights/floodlights and 681 CCMS (centrally controlled monitored systems) panels installed across the city.

A proposal in this regard will be tabled in the next MC General House meeting. With the contract of the company managing the streetlights ended long ago, most streetlights are non-functional.

Though MC staff is managing streetlights, they face problems in their maintenance due to the financial crisis.

As per the proposal, the project spans seven years, with an optional three-year extension, and focuses on replacing the present infrastructure with a smart lighting system, which integrates advanced lighting control and monitoring systems for real-time monitoring and management.

The successful bidder will take over the existing infrastructure on an “as is, where is” basis and also ensure uninterrupted service during the transition.

Key objectives include achieving energy savings through replacement of old lights with more energy efficient LED ones and smart dimming technology, eliminating dark spots and strengthening the system with GIS mapping, QR/barcode tagging and proper earthing.

The project aligns with the Government of India’s commitment to sustainability by reducing its carbon footprint and promoting energy-efficient technologies. Payments will be made on a per-point-per-month basis, with annual rate escalation, ensuring accountability and incentivising performance. This initiative is a significant step toward creating a sustainable, cost-effective and smart public lighting ecosystem in Chandigarh.

The modernisation of Chandigarh’s public lighting infrastructure began in 2018-19 with the replacement of conventional streetlights with energy-efficient LED fixtures and the installation of LCMS panels for real-time monitoring. This initial phase, executed by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), resulted in the installation of 45,781 LED streetlights and 681 CCMS panels, supported by a five-year O&M contract.

With the expiration of the EESL O&M contract, the MC is facing increasing challenges in maintaining the infrastructure, including aging lights and CCMS panels, which give less lighting and require high maintenance costs.

Advanced lighting control and monitoring systems will be put in place to enable real-time monitoring, fault detection and efficient management of the network. By replacing the existing LED fixtures with more energy-efficient models and standardising wattages, the project is aimed at achieving significant energy savings. There will be over 20% energy savings through LED technology and an additional 10% through smart dimming tech.

The issue of non-functional streetlights was also raised in the last meeting of the MC House. The councillors alleged that around 30% streetlights are either non-functional or damaged, leaving a large part of the city in darkness.