PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
The Municipal Corporation of Dehradun (MCD) has drawn up a plan to strengthen the city’s street lighting system by purchasing 4,000 new electricity poles and installing 5,000 new street lights. Further, 1,000 additional lights have been arranged as a buffer in case any lights get damaged or if a pole requires two lights instead of one.
MCD’s light inspector Ranjeet Rana said that the tenders for electricity poles, lights, switches and wiring would be issued soon. The tenders had earlier been scheduled for January but delayed due to the State government’s new tender policy, under which only local or permanent residents are eligible to participate. The tender process is now expected to be completed by the end of this month. The total fund allocated for the installation of poles and street lighting is Rs 12 crore.
Rana added that to ensure the project’s faster execution, the entire city has been divided into four zones. Zone one will include wards 1 to 25, zone two wards 26 to 50, zone three wards 51 to 75 and zone four wards 76 to 100. Tenders will be issued in four parts and work in all zones will be carried out simultaneously. Rana said that the entire project has been given a completion deadline of four months.
After completion of the tender process, special focus will be given to 32 newly added wards. “These areas have seen rapid development over the past five to ten years, with several new colonies coming up and construction still underway, leading to a greater demand for street lighting and electricity poles. Older wards would also be covered as per the requirement,” Rana added.
Priority areas identified in the new wards include Kunawala, Balawala, Nathuwala, Harrawala, Miyanwala, Mohkampur, Nehrugram, Raipur, Ladpur, Danda Lakhaund, Gujrada Mansingh, Kulhan, Malsi, Badowala, Shyampur, Chandrabani, Mehuwala, Banjarawala, Mothrowala, Nawada, Badripur, Jogiwala and areas along the Ring Road.
