Work to add 7,701 new street lights in Coimbatore city begins

COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore Municipal Corporation has started installing street lights in four zones which saw expansion in recent years and main roads, where gaps were identified.
Last year, the city corporation conducted a gap analysis to find out the number of new streetlights required for the city. The areas where the expansion took place in recent years required streetlights. Based on the analysis the civic body had proposed a project to add around 10,000 streetlights.
The state government had given the nod to install 7701 streetlights at the cost of Rs 20.97 crore.
Corporation commissioner M Prathap talking to newsmen on Tuesday said that the work to install 7701 lights has started based on the work order issued by it.
He said that LED lights of various capacities ranging from 20 watts to 120 watts are being installed. The East zone will get 2009 streetlights, the west zone will get 1971 streetlights, the south will get 1161 lights, whereas the north will get 1109 lights. The lights will be installed in existing poles.
Apart from streets, new lights will be installed in main roads where gaps have been found. 1451 lights will be installed in such roads. All the lights will be installed in the new poles to be erected. 873 single arm poles and 289 double arm poles will be erected.
The lights will be in the capacities ranging between 70 watts and 120 watts as main roads require brighter illumination, he said.
Commissioner added that a separate proposal will be sent to the state government to get the remaining 2000 odd streetlights.
Another official said that new streetlights are necessary as most of the newly developed areas lack lighting facilities. It is a long pending demand from the residents, mostly from newly developed areas. The central zone was not covered in the gap analysis since it has not seen any expansion, he said.