KMC replaces sodium lights with LED, saves power bill of Rs 6 crore

Kolkata: The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) is saving over Rs 6 crore by replacing high-pressure sodium lights on streets with LED lights.

The civic body has already finished the installation of LED lights in over 50 per cent of the area under its jurisdiction.

“We have started replacing high-pressure sodium vapour lamp fittings (HPSV) and Metal Halide Fittings with LED lights to reduce the level of carbon emission and consumption of electricity since 2022. We have set a target of 2027 for completion of the entire installation. Our electricity bill that used to be Rs 14 crore per year has already come down to Rs 8 crore. This will reduce to Rs 4-5 crore per year once we complete the entire project,” said Sandip Bakshi, Member Mayor in Council (Lighting and Electricity), KMC.

KMC needs over 3 lakh lights to cover all 144 wards in its jurisdiction. Lighting department sources said the added areas included the assembly constituency of Tollygunge, Jadavpur, Behala Paschim and Behala Purba. The EM Bypass has a mixture of LED and sodium vapour lights which will be converted to LED. KMC’s offices, health units, schools, compactor stations, markets, borough offices, ward health units, pumping stations, and crematoriums will all have LED lights.

There were complaints from a section of motorists that their eyes get dazzled while driving past sodium lights.

The LED lights are soothing for the eyes.

“Moreover, the LED lights have better longevity and illumination. Earlier, we had installed 400-watt sodium vapour lights which we are replacing with 200-watt LED,” said a Lighting department official.

Besides cutting down on the electricity bill, the KMC is also saving money through installation of LEDs.

Earlier, the civic body would spend Rs 10,000 per unit for sodium lights which has reduced to Rs 8,000 per unit for LED.