Bathinda streetlights to go solar, project work to start by month-end

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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 PEDA authorities. SANDEEP GUPTA, superintending engineer, MC

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 Februaryend 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 will 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,which is expected to cost around ₹9.9 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.

“Further expansion of solar power generation will depend upon this,” Gupta added.