Chennai: The most-neglected areas in the extended parts of Ch­ennai corporation will soon be lit by LED lights as the civic body is set to facilitate these areas with 60,000 LED (light emitting diode) stre­etlights.

Though the scheme was announced way back in 2012 year-end, the project is yet to take shape. However, sources at the corporation say that the installation of the 60,000 streetlights wo­u­ld be announced in the upcoming corporation cou­ncil meet this month.

The lights will come up at Tiruvottiyur, Manali, Mad­h­a­varam, Ambattur, Valas­aravakkam, Alandur, Peru­ngudi and the Sholi­nga­nallur zones that were ann­exed to the Chennai corporation.

“This scheme which comes under the second phase of implementation will focus on the extended regions. The first phase in­v­olves installing 13,000 str­eetlights, both sodium va­pour and LED lights, in the­se areas,” said a corporati­on official.

“The civic bo­dy’s aim is to replace all so­d­ium vapour lights with LED lights in a phased ma­nner,” he added. “Str­eet­lights at some places are being blocked by tree br­an­ches, obstructing the light. The civic body must prune the branches,” suggested Ak­­shayan Harih­aran, a resident of Vijaya­nagar.

The civic body has inc­reased the functioning time of streetlights following poor li­ght early in the wee hours. A press release no­tes that streetlights which usually burn till 5.30 am will now be on for an additional hour for the convenience of the people.