Civic body gets govt nod for LED streetlights project in Hubballi-Dharwad

After the much-awaited project to install LED streetlights across the twin cities could not be taken up under the 'Smart City' project, the Hubballi-Dharwad Mahanagara Palike (HDMP) has now got the government's administrative approval for the project under the public-private-partnership model.

All streetlights in the twin cities are likely to have energy-efficient LED lamps within 10 months if everything goes as per the plan.

Urban Development Department Under Secretary N Mangalagowri on Wednesday issued the order according to the government's administrative approval for 'Implementation of energy efficiency project for streetlights by replacement of conventional lamps with LED lamps along with the centralised control and monitoring system (CCMS)', by order and in the name of the Governor.

Also Read: Solar-powered Hubballi Airport is Karnataka first 'green airport'

The cost of this PPP project is estimated at Rs 93.57 crore. The HDMP would not invest anything for this while the contractor has to install LED streetlights along with a contract to maintain them for seven years.

The amount saved in the electricity bill of streetlights would be used to pay the contractor every month. This plan is aimed at energy saving and less expenditure for the civic body.

The government had issued an order regarding such projects in all urban local bodies in 2018. Hubballi-Dharwad Smart City Limited (HDSCL) tried to implement it in the twin cities based on the data collected in 2015-16, but could not do so due to the bidding of high cost though tenders were floated six times.

After conducting a fresh baseline survey this year, the HDMP has proposed to implement a Rs 97.57 -crore project. After getting the government's nod, officials have now started the preparations to float the tender expecting the tender process to end in two months and the project implementation within eight months from then.

As per the feasibility report, the HDMP could save at least 47 per cent in its electricity bill for streetlights if LED lamps are installed on all streetlights. HDMP officials are expecting the bidders to quote 50 per cent savings or more.

"We are paying a little more than Rs 23-crore streetlights' electricity bill every year. LED lamps with different capacities would be installed depending on the size of the road, and they would be installed in all areas including extension areas and interior roads. This would save a lot in energy bills," said HDMP Commissioner Gopal Krishna B.

Out of 76,000 streetlights in the twin cities, conventional lamps have to be replaced with LED lamps for around 50,000 streetlights while the remaining are already installed with LED lamps in different phases in previous years, officials said.

Claiming that the study conducted about the specifications of LED streetlights for different areas is more thorough, HDMP officials are expecting a good response to the tender to be floated.

Moreover, CCMS would have a high-tech mechanism with centralised timer and real-time monitoring of the condition of streetlights, they added.