Kathmandu, 3 October 2080. As part of the ‘City Bright Program’, state-of-the-art smart street lights have been installed on the Gwarko-Imadol-Sanagaon-Luvu-Lamatar main road in Lalitpur. A total of 357 smart street lights have been installed on both sides of the approximately 5-kilometer road through a cost-sharing arrangement between the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and Mahalakshmi Municipality.
Kulman Ghising, Executive Director of the NEA, and Harigobind Shrestha, Mayor of Mahalakshmi Municipality, jointly inaugurated the street lights at a ceremony held in Imadol, Lalitpur, on Thursday.
Speaking at the event, Executive Director Ghising said that the ‘Ujyalo Nepal’ program, which is currently underway across the country to provide electricity to every household, will be completed within the next two years. He also mentioned that the NEA is aware of complaints from consumers about power outages in the Mahalakshmi Municipality area due to long transmission lines. To address this issue, the NEA is constructing a new substation in Sirutar. Ghising further stated that the NEA is willing to establish an electric charging station in the Luvu area if land is provided by the municipality.
Mayor Shrestha expressed his appreciation for the installation of the smart street lights, which he said will enhance the beauty of the city and make travel on the road safer. He also mentioned that the municipality plans to expand the road lighting program in the future.
The contract for the installation of the street lights was signed between the NEA and Mahalakshmi Municipality for a total cost of NPR 20.16 million. The NEA has contributed NPR 8.6 million, while the municipality has contributed NPR 13.3 million. A total of 62 new poles have been installed for the street lights, while the remaining poles are existing roadside poles.
The street lights are equipped with 90-watt LED lamps that consume less electricity but provide more light. The lights are turned on automatically when it is dark and turned off when it is bright. Billing for electricity consumption is done through software. The NEA can also monitor whether the lights are on or off through the software. The construction company will be responsible for the maintenance of the lights for a period of five years.
The NEA is installing decorative modern lights (smart lights) in the main roads, historical and cultural heritage sites listed in the World Heritage List, and tourist destinations in coordination and partnership with municipalities under the ‘City Bright Campaign’. The NEA believes that this will enhance the beauty of cities, increase the demand for electricity, and also consume electricity that is otherwise wasted at night.
