The Hindu 27.07.2012
City streetlighting to be improved
GHMC finalises contracts worth nearly Rs.5 crore forlaying an underground cable
Along with decking up considerable number of road stretches with fresh carpeting and signages, the twin cities is also to get a much better streetlighting system, thanks to the forthcoming Conference of Parties (COP) international bio-diversity summit in October.
The GHMC electrical wing has finalised contracts worth nearly Rs.5 crore for laying an underground cable across the 120 km length on the 22 road corridors identified for improvement for the summit. It would enable the municipal authorities to improve the glowing percentage of streetlights, said Additional Commissioner (Electrical) D. Jayaraj Kennedy.
Right now most of the streetlights were powered by a single overhead cable which meant that the glowing was not uniform and there were frequent outages too due to wear and tear over the years. The new UG cable will ensure that three phase current is supplied for the streetlights ensuring brighter illumination.
Save for the East Zone areas like Kapra, Uppal and L.B.Nagar where no road stretches have been identified for repairs for the event, the cabling work in rest of the zones is likely to start and be completed within the next couple of months. “We have to take up the cable work and complete the same at the earliest as the works relating to road carpeting and signages as well as beautification of the central medians have to be taken up once we are done,” he explained.
Soil in the central medians has been dug up and greenery can be taken up only after the cabling is completed.
Close to 4,000 electric poles located either on the sides or central median on the chosen road corridors are also slated to be painted. Gaps in streetlighting as in Madhapur road too will be taken care.
The municipal corporation also pays CPDCL for taking up relocation of electric poles and transformer boxes on the widened portions of the roads, especially the COP thoroughfares at an estimated cost of an extra Rs. 2 crore. There are more than 3.5 lakh streetlights of various hues in the capital with monthly bills coming to nearly Rs.7 crore.
