The existing street lights in the city will be completely replaced with LED street lights next year, going by the current pace of phased replacement, say Corporation authorities.
Close to 20,000 LED lights have already been installed across various wards, with 19,000 more to be installed in the coming months. Meanwhile, the Corporation is in the middle of a technical process for the selection of an agency to replace the rest of the lights on a “zero investment” model.
Four years ago
The civic body has around 84,000 street lights, with a few more being added in recent months as part of line extensions. The plans to replace these with LED lights began over four years ago, during the tenure of the previous council. This period witnessed several rounds postponements and controversies over the project.
Due to all these hiccups, the project has perpetually been caught in the processing stage.
Though an understanding was arrived at with SIDCO last year, a change in the management there and the alleged indifference on their part led to a fallout between the Corporation and the management. Eventually, the agreement with SIDCO was cancelled.
The local body later deposited ₹9.13 crore with the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) for the replacement of 20,000 street lights.
The majority of these have been replaced by this month, as per officials.
Second instalment
The second instalment of ₹8.88 crore for replacing 19,000 LED lights have been deposited with the KSEB, which has already placed the supply order. This work will begin by this month.
The Corporation has on its own replaced 5,900 street lights this year as part of extensions. According to the Corporation electrician, more line extensions have been done in wards in the outer areas that were added to the Corporation.
Earlier this year, expression of interest was called for to replace the remaining fluorescent lamps with LED lights. Two companies responded. Last month, they conducted demonstrations in the Kinavoor and Kazhakuttam wards, installing 100 LED lamps each. The technical committee of the Corporation has assessed the performances.
The financial committee will soon examine the viability of both their proposals, following which an MoU will be signed with one of the firms.
“We expect to complete the replacement of all street lights with LED lights within seven or eight months,” says Works Standing Committee Chairperson S. Pushpalatha.