State-run EESL will soon start replacing conventional street lights with energy efficient LEDs in four more states.
"We have already entered into an agreement with local bodies in four more states including Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Goa.
"We will soon start replacing street lights in these states with energy efficient LEDs," Energy Efficiency Services Ltd Managing Director, Saurabh Kumar said.
He further said, "EESL has already replaced over 10 lakh street lights with LEDs. We are targeting to replace 20 lakh street lights with LEDs this fiscal."
Soon the level of complaints about non-function street lights in South Delhi Municipal Corp (SDMC) area will be reduced to 2-3 per cent from existing level of about five per cent, Kumar said.
"We maintain our own inventory of spares for maintenance of street lights and have also engaged one team per ward, overall 104 teams (in SDMC) so that timely redressal of complaints can take place," he added.
EESL said that a recent social audit conducted by PWC in SDMC area shows that at an average 99.5 percent people feel safer with LED streetlights in the area. EESL is implementing the Street Lighting National Programme (SLNP) in SDMC area.
In Delhi alone, over 1.98 lakh LED street lights have been installed in SDMC area. Social audit findings also shows that 97.5 per cent of the people observed an increase in the business activities due to introduction of LED technology in the street lights.
While, about 99.75 per cent of the people feel that the intensity and the brightness of the LED street lights is better than the earlier street lights.
An investment of Rs 172 crore has been made by EESL and the guaranteed reduction in energy consumption is 53 per cent.
SDMC will pay EESL from out of the savings in energy and maintenance cost over a 7 year period. This project will result in annual reduction of 61 million kWh of energy during peak hours.
SDMC will benefit by Rs 41.47 crore over 7 year period without having to invest any capital upfront.
The overall technical fault of the street lights is less than 2 per cent in the 10 lakh lights installed by EESL in the country.
Under SLNP, over 10,80,000 conventional street lights have been replaced with LED street lights across India leading to an annual estimated energy savings of 143 million units.
