Mag Coupled lamps, claimed to save 60% power, to be installed on some stretchesThe electricity tariff hike gave the entire State a jolt, but the city Corporation has swiftly moved in to heal the singe.The
civic body plans to install energy-saving Mag Coupled lamps on some
stretches, on an experimental basis, to check if they can be used as
streetlights.

Next week, Diaonics Automation Private Ltd., a Mumbai-based company, will light up Manaveeyam Veedhi with these lamps.“This is a relatively new technology in lighting. According to the company, it can save up to 60 per cent electricity.The company will install the lights free,” said Corporation works standing committee chairman V.S. Padmakumar.

Mag
Coupled lamp is an electrode-less fluorescent lamp that functions on
the principle of electromagnetic induction and gas discharge. The
company says these lights have a high life of around 1 lakh hours.

“Mag
Coupled lamps are used as streetlights in Chennai, Nasik, and Thane. If
the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation installs these lights, its power
bill can be brought down by more than 60 per cent,” a company
spokesperson said.

The Corporation now pays around
Rs.3.45 crore per month to light its 40,000-odd streetlights. “This
figure will increase manifold with the new tariff hike. Hopefully, new
technologies will bring some respite,” Mr. Padmakumar said.

Complaints

Meanwhile,
the Corporation has introduced pre-qualification guidelines, making
some technical norms mandatory, for bidding of lights and light fittings
following complaints of poor quality streetlight fittings and spare
parts. The issue was raised in the last council meeting by United
Democratic Front (UDF) councillor Tony Oliver of Valiyathura ward. Mr.
Oliver said that hundreds of low quality tubelight chokes and fuses
procured by the Corporation for lighting up the Shanghumughom beach
stretch during for the Vavu Bali ritual had been left unused at the KSEB
Sreevaraham sub-station.

“The electrical spare parts
acquired by the Corporation, especially the newly acquired copper
chokes, are of very poor quality. Within weeks of installation they get
damaged. The labour charge for climbing one electric post is around
Rs.180. Lakhs of rupee is being spent by the Corporation for the repair
and replacement of damaged streetlight fittings,” Mr. Oliver said.

Mr.
Padmakumar said the issue had been sorted out with the introduction of
pre-qualification bid. The tender notice issued by the Corporation three
weeks ago to procure electrical equipment worth around Rs.60 lakh
included a pre-qualification bid, he said.

•  To be installed next week on Manaveeyam Road
•  Corporation lists new norms for bidding of lights