NEW DELHI: In a significant decision, in a bid to reduce dark spots from the streets and lanes across the city, the Delhi government has decided to install 70,000 additional street lights at various locations.
On Tuesday, it gave approval to Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB) to install 1,000 additional street lights in each assembly constituency. It said that this will be in addition to the 2.1 lakh streetlights that the government had earlier planned to install across the national capital.
Bhardwaj asked DUSIB to complete the project within the estimated timeline. He said that the initiative had been taken after seeing the ‘tremendous participation’ of the residents of Delhi under the Mukhyamantri Street Light Yojana.
The government said that the street lights that are being installed are automatic and will get switched on when it gets dark outside. As these lights will have a sensor in them, they will also switch off on their own in the mornings and therefore ensure the better utility of electricity.
Bhardwaj said that the implementation of the scheme will be carried out by three companies that will install as well as maintain them. He claimed that it is for the first time that the state government was installing street lights on such a large scale.
“This scheme will be effective in ending incidents of crime against women in Delhi. The street lights will be powered by the building owner’s electricity connection and the bill of the building owner will be reduced based on the units consumed by these lights. People can install these lights in their homes, shops, streets, etc,” he said.
In another decision, the Delhi government approved the laying of a 25.5 km sewer line in 11 unauthorised colonies of Sangam Vihar, Ambedkar Nagar and Deoli assembly constituencies. The government said that with this project, about three lakh people in the area will get relief from sewer problems.
“A 25.5 km long sewer line will be laid in nine unauthorised colonies in the Ambedkar Nagar assembly constituency and two in Deoli. Due to the non-availability of a sewerage system in the area, the sewage generated from here is currently released into the local ponds, septic tanks, or rain drains, which fall into the Yamuna River, adding to its pollution. Now, the sewerage from these areas will be sent to the nearest Sewage Treatment Plant, after which the treated water will flow into the river,” Minister Saurab Bharadwaj said.