MCL to replace existing street lights with LEDs in Lahore

Once tendering process is over, installation of new streetlights will start in all nine zone of city

LAHORE: The Metropolitan Corporation Lahore (MCL) is all set to replace existing street lights with energy-efficient LED lights in all nine zones of the city, The Express Tribune has learnt.

The MCL has already initiated the procurement process. According to an estimate, the upgradation and repair of existing street lights will cost over Rs140 million. The official plan indicates the corporation will upgrade and repair existing street lights in Ravi zone at a cost of around Rs17 million, covering union councils (UCs) 01-23, 25, 29-30 and 32-39.

In Samanabad zone, Rs15.42 million will be spent for the same purpose, covering UCs 75-80, 82-94, 99-100, 104, 107 and 212-219. Similarly, Rs12.5 million will be spent for augmentation and repair of existing street lights with LED light in Gulberg zone that comprise of UCs 118-120, 122-124, 172-173, 185, 200-211 and 223-226.

Documents show Rs15.5 million will be spent in Nishtar zone to lighten up UCs 195-197, 227-231, 235-236, 238-254 and 269-271.  Upgradation and repair of street lights in Shalimar zone will cost Rs14.5 million that will cover UCs 24, 26-28, 31, 410, 42-47, 121, 125-130, 153-154, 156 and 161-167. In Wagha zone, Rs12.5 million will be spent to light up UCs 108, 131-138, 143-144, 174-183, 189-191 and 194.

A sum of Rs20.95 million will be spent in Data Gunj Buksh zone and Iqbal zone on upgradation and maintenance of existing street lights. UCs 48-53, 55-58, 61-62, 65-66, 68-74, 81, 168-169, 171 and 198-199 of Data Gunj Buksh zone and 95-98, 101-103, 105-106, 109-117, 220-222, 232-234, 255-268 and 272-274 of Iqbal zone will be lit up. Similarly, Rs12 million is estimated to be spent in Aziz Bhatti zone for the same purpose, covering UCs 139-142, 145-152, 155, 157-160, 184, 186-188 and 192-193.

An MCL spokesman said upgradation of existing street lights will not only reduce maintenance cost, but also help in energy conservations. "Once the tendering process is successfully completed, hopefully by the end of the current month, the installation of new LED streetlights will be started simultaneously in all nine zone of the city."

All UC chairmen of the ruling party are happy over this development scheme as it is one of the longstanding demands of voters. However, MCL Opposition Leader Afeef Siddiqui complained that the ruling party had ignored the opposition's union councils in this scheme. "On various occasions, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) UC chairmen have complained about discrimination in development schemes in the district assembly, but they failed to get any positive response from ruling party's representatives," he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 26^th, 2018.