New Town streetlights to get converted into intelligent lighting systems

Kolkata: West Bengal Housing and Infrastructure Development Corporation (Hidco) will convert all 6,971 street lights in New Town into sensor-based, LoRA (Low Power Long Range Wireless Area Network) connected intelligent lighting systems. This will enable the Hidco authorities to monitor the lights from a central dashboard or even through a smartphone app.

"We have directed the engineering wing of Hidco and New Town Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA) to prepare Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) based on pilot experience. LORA connected through internet cloud network is already functioning near Clock Tower. Lights can be dimmed or brightened, and on or off status of lights can be checked. In all 2,978 out of 6,971 street lights use energy efficient LED lights in New Town," a senior official of Hidco said.

The decision was taken in a meeting where Hidco made an internal review of Green City initiatives in New Town. "A process for taking a consultant on board for upgrading the Gold Ranking of New Town for Green City has started," the official added.

Hidco has already installed solar panels with net metering on rooftop organic market, Rabindra Tirtha, Hidco Bhavan and NKDA office.

Floating solar panels are functioning in Smritibon. Link canal pathway lighting has been done without any grid connection, using maintenance-free batteries and solar panels. Twelve electric vehicle charging stations are in operation already. Three electric AC buses are running for the past several months and has already had 1.39 lakh footfalls.

Solar powered traffic signal near Akankhshya More has been functioning. Solar power worth Rs 92 lakhs has been produced from the 500 KWp solar canal-top installation near street number 786 in the last 4 years.

Other green initiatives include vertical gardens at metro pillars, Eco Park and other places.

Cycle tracks have been made often with grade separation to encourage non-motorised transport. Magnetic embedded sensor based triggers are being used to reduce light usage after 10 pm in some streets.

Motion sensors switch off certain lights in a pilot study in Hidco Bhavan when no person moves in a room for a certain period of time. Waste segregation at source had started with e waste bins and used clothes bins placed in NKDA corner at Eco Park. Composting machines had been installed in two NKDA markets.

An air pollution monitoring station has also been installed in Hidco Bhavan.