The Times of India                29.05.2013

Streetlight scheme: 444 societies pay their share

AHMEDABAD: The AMC has received 1,291 applications in the past few months by private societies in the city for installation of streetlights under the Swarnim Gujarat Urban Development Funds. The civic body has so far surveyed 758 societies.

After the initial round of inspections, nearly 444 societies have paid the 20 per cent share for the installation of the streetlights. Of the Rs 150 crore budget for the Swarnim projects, the AMC has already spent Rs 3.89 crore on this head. The project was announced a few weeks ahead of the state assembly elections apparently to appease the voters in residential areas.

Sanjay Parekh of Neelkanth Society in Jodhpurgam told TOI, "On a regular streetlight the AMC spends more than Rs 18,000. A cheaper alternative would be to install solar streetlights and leave the maintenance to the society. With government subsidies available, the solar lights may come at a lower cost and would free the societies of electricity bills."

There are 442 applications from the societies in the new west zone alone, followed by 234 from the east zone. "Most of the applications in the new west zone are from societies that have defunct streetlights. We are making sure that the benefits go to societies that need the streetlights the most," says a senior AMC official.