All 65,000 streetlights in 60 wards of Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) will be converted into LED lights with a centralised automatic switching point system under Smart City Mission (SCM) through PPP (public-private partnership) mode.
A survey of the streetlights in the wards has already begun and is expected to be completed by April 20. Installation of specially designed LEDs, manufactured by Crompton, will begin after the survey, said Suresh Rathod of the private firm engaged in installing the LED lights and carrying out the survey of the streetlights.
"Already, 8,250 streetlights have been surveyed in the wards," he said during a presentation on maintenance of the LED streetlights and the centralised control and monitoring system through PPP, at the council meeting of MCC.
According to the contract, the LED streetlights should be installed within eight months (barring the rainy season) from the issue of work orders and should be maintained for seven years.
The installation works will be completed by December-end. He added that the LED bulbs have an advantage compared to traditional tube light, fluorescent and sodium-vapour lights. The LEDs are energy efficient and consume 60% less power than traditional lighting. Already, demonstrations on the LED bulbs have been carried out in Shivabhagh, in front of a mall in the city.
“It will take four weeks for the arrival of the first batch of the LED lights. Wherever the survey is completed, the LED lights will be installed,” he said.
Under the smart city mission, all the city corporations in Karnataka - Tumakuru, Shivamogga, Mangaluru, Davangere, Belagavi, Hubballi-Dharwad, Mysuru, Ballari, Vijayapura and Kalaburagi - have been asked to replace the conventional streetlights with the LEDs under PPP mode.
When corporators sought information about the fate of the existing tubelight and other lights, Suresh Rathod informed the council that they will be crushed and sent to scrap.
"If any dark spots are identified during the survey, then LEDs should be installed on a priority basis in such areas," Mayor Premanand Shetty stressed