SRINAGAR: The street lights in Srinagar are lying defunct from a long-time leaving commuter in complete darkness in the evening, while the officials at SMC said there is no problem of funds and they have start installing the
new lights.
The areas where street lights are defunct include Nawa Kadal, Saki daffar, Bemina, Eid Gah, Sada pori, Residency road, Habba Kadal, Rainwari and Batmaloo.
Official at SMC said that instead of repairing defunct lights, they will replace them with new lights, “which is the main reason last year we did not repair the defunct lights as they have to be replaced”.
He said that from last year, they only repaired those lights where they received complain or were it was more important to repair the lights.
Khurshid Ahmad Sanai, SMC Commissioner told Kashmir Reader that they have hire Energy Efficiency Service Ltd (ESEL) company – a Delhi based company – for installing street lights.
“From last year we are working on this project – and it could not happen last year due to various reasons and now we are working on this project,” he said.
“We are installing these lights in two phases, and we have already completed first phase survey where we need to install 35,000 lights in all parts of Srinagar city. Once we complete the first phase, then we will start
working on the second phase,” Sanai said.
Earlier government had been installed sodium vapors lights, which consume more power and has fluctuation problem. To overcome this issue, SMC is going to install smart LED lights with 40 volts to 160 volts.

NAZIMA SIDIQ