AGARTALA, March 26 (TIWN): The Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) yet on its another drive has taken up the third phase LED light installation work from wednesday from Agartala Motorstand that would connect the NH-44 road. Talking to TIWN today the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) Executive Electrical Officer, Bishnu Bhattacharjee said that the fourth phase work of replacing the sodium lights with the latest LED lights here at the capital city Agartala would be taken up today with the installation of lights from Motorstand to NH-44 road.

Tripura government has approved a proposal to change the existing 30,000 street lights in Agartala by  Light Emitting Diode (LED) lights. The proposal was put forward by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), an undertaking of the Union Ministry of Power.

Asked about the status of the project work, Bhattacharjee said that on the third phase installation work a total of 18 LED lights has been installed, replacing the sodium lights from North Gate to Colonel Chowmuhni, a total of 93 from BidurkartaChowmuhni to Battala, while at least 22 LED lights has been installed at the route of CM quarter lane. Adding to that he said that during the third phase work the LED lights has been installed from Circuit House to Battala covering adjacent routes.

He also informed that the entire project work of the installation of the LED lights replacing the sodium lights is expected to be completed by the month of May or June. As of now, all lights are operated manually. But automatic functional programming will reduce the misuse.

According to the MOU, the EESL would install a total of 35,000 street lights in the city. Nearly Rs.18-20 crores has been estimated for the entire 10-years long project. S Datta, Principal Consultant of EESL and AMC Commissioner – Abhishek Chandra signed the MOU in the presence of Mayor of Agartala Municipal Corporation Dr. Prafullajit Sinha , Mayor-in-Council Shyamal Dey including others at the conference hall of AMC.

The then Secretary of Urban Development Ashutosh Jindal earlier stated that Tripura government has accepted the proposal of LED lighting to contribute to India’s carbon neutral initiative. This will not only reduce our energy bill, but will also provide better lighting on streets and will give them a modern look. According to EESL’s assessment, Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) can save at least Rs 2 crores on its electricity bill after the installation. EESL estimates that the AMC will not have to spend anything on capital investment, operation and maintenance of the LED-based lighting system in Agartala for the first seven years.

EESL says Agartala will be the first city in northeastern India and second city in eastern India (after Kolkata) to install an LED-based street lighting system. As part of the project, EESL will auto-programme each and every bulb in the city, so that the lights get cut automatically based on requirement.