Let there be (LED) light: Karnataka High Court to Palike over contractors' plea

BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday brightened prospects for Bengaluru’s street culture by giving the BBMP a green signal for the installation of LED street lights.

The Palike has been asked to go ahead with the global tender process for LED lights in all 198 wards. The civic body claims that it will save the city at least Rs 100 crore annually in energy bills. The Court was hearing the BBMP’s interim application: The BBMP Power Contractors Association had approached the court against the Palike’s tenders, stating that they favour only multinational companies and will adversely affect the contractors’ association.

The Palike had submitted its application to the court with the information that it is currently paying Rs 14 crore per month to the Karnataka Electricity boards, for the consumption of 262 lakh units. The BBMP also said Rs 60 crore is spent annually on contractors for the operation and maintenance of 4,85,0000 streetlights in the city. Currently, these streetlights use sodium vapour lamps and the installation of new LED lights instead of the conventional ones will reduce energy consumption and the resultant charges by 60 to 70 percent, said the BBMP.

Also, the installation of all the LED lamps in the streetlights will be done at zero cost by energy service companies.

The court, while passing the order, observed that the new initiative will result in saving of energy and money for BBMP.