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Work to convert Bathinda streetlights into solar to start by February-end
Bathinda In the first-of-its-kind project in the South Malwa region, the Bathinda municipal corporation will start work on installing panels to convert all streetlights
Bathinda In the first-of-its-kind project in the South Malwa region, the Bathinda municipal corporation will start work on installing panels to convert all streetlights to solar by February-end to save around ₹2.3 crore a year in electricity bill.
There are 25,000 streetlights in the city area and the panels of capacity 2,200KW are to be installed in four localities. These are the vacant space at waterworks stations located near Joggers Park; the industrial growth centre; near the sewage treatment plant and the office of the rooftop of the local body.
The role of the Bathinda MC is limited to funding the project, expected to cost ₹9.85 crore. The Punjab Energy Development Agency (PEDA) is the nodal agency and a private firm from Dehradun has been hired to execute the project.
MC superintending engineer Sandeep Gupta said, “The legal cell of the MC is in the last phase of finalising terms and conditions to execute the project, which will be forwarded to the PEDA authorities. Work is expected to begin by the month-end.”
The project had remained entangled in bureaucratic hurdles for the last several months as PEDA had raised a demand of charging a facilitation fee of 5% on its total cost. However, after the MC officials objected, the charges were waived, say corporation officials.
“The MC has an estimated annual expenditure of ₹15 crore. After the solar energy project, we will save more than ₹2.3 crore per year. It may provide a major boost to promote alternative sources of energy among other public offices and residents. Further expansion of solar power generation will depend upon this initiative,” Gupta added.
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The legal cell of the MC is in the last phase of finalising terms and conditions to execute the project, which will be forwarded to the PEDA authorities. Work is expected to begin by month-end.
Sandeep Gupta, superintending engineer, MC
