AGARTALA, February 5 (TIWN): The Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) on its yet another drive is all set to kick start the second phase Light Emitting Diode (LED) light installation at the capital city Agartala by the month of February. Tripura government has approved a proposal to change the existing 30,000 street lights in Agartala to Light Emitting Diode (LED) lights. The proposal was put forward by Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL), an undertaking of the Union Ministry of Power.

Talking to TIWN today the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) Executive Electrical Officer Bishnu Bhattacharjee, the second phase work of replacing the sodium lights with the latest LED lights here at the capital city Agartala will be taken up by the month of February. The Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) has already framed a tender and it will be finalized on February 10, said Bhattacharjee. Adding to that he further informed that during the second phase work the entire city areas would be covered up to replace the existing 4000 sodium lights with the Light Emitting Diode (LED) lights. In total on its 3 phased project work a total of 30,000 LED lights would be installed.

All 30,000 LED bulbs will be switched on in the evening. After 9 pm, when movement on the city’s roads has reduced, we will gradually switch off some of the lights according to necessity. As of now, all lights are operated manually. But automatic functional programming will reduce the misuse.

 The EESL has already started installing the LED lights here in the capital city Agartala in a 3-phased manner with zero capital investment by the state. According to EESL’s assessment, Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) can save at least Rs 2 crore 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.

However it is mentionable here that the EESL had already replaced 447 bulbs, including sodium vapour bulbs, on VIP Road from Raj Bhawan to Agartala airport during its first phase work. Urban Development Minister Manik Dey inaugurated the first phase LED light service at AMC area in programme held here at Lichubagan.

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-year 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.

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 give them a modern look.
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.