1 week Ago
Gurgaon: After four years of planning, the new sectors off Southern Peripheral Road (SPR) are set to be illuminated with the installation of smart lights. The project, costing around Rs 5 crore, is expected to be completed by March. Initially, GMDA planned to install 700 lights in phase 1, but the number was later increased to 835, covering sectors 76-77, 75A-76, 75-75A, 73-74, 71-73, 70-75, 70-70A, 68-69, and 68-70A.
Despite the transfer of these roads to GMDA in 2018, the arterial stretches lacked lighting, posing safety hazards for commuters. In 2021, the authority first proposed the project, but later said that it was to be executed by MCG. In 2022, it was decided that HSVP would carry out the works since they were already maintaining streetlights in sectors 58 to 67 and sectors 81 to 115, with the plan to fund the project through EDC funds.
However, in 2023, GMDA decided to take over the work and floated a tender in Oct. Due to the lack of experienced bidders, the tender was re-invited in Jan last year, further delaying the project. Work eventually began in March 2024 with a deadline of 12 months.
Of the 835 streetlights, 550 have been installed and GMDA has secured three electrical connections from DHBVN. "We are hopeful of completing phase 1 of the smart streetlight project covering sector 68-80 by March. We have already started the process of obtaining the remaining five electric connections from DHBVN.
Once completed, the smart lighting system is expected to enhance road safety in new sectors," a senior official of GMDA said. The smart streetlights are equipped with advanced technology, including sensors and automated controls. These lights will adjust brightness levels automatically based on ambient light and will be linked to GMDA's integrated command and control centre (ICCC).
The ICCC will help monitor the lights for maintenance, reduce downtime, and report issues such as theft. "We have been waiting for years for proper lighting along these roads. The absence of streetlights made the area unsafe, especially for women and children.
The lack of lighting led to frequent accidents and made commuting difficult, especially during winters. While we are glad that streetlights are getting installed, the progress of the project is slow. We have met GMDA officials and urged them to expedite the process," said Neehar Ranjan, RWA president of BPTP Astaire Gardens.
Meanwhile, works on the second phase of the smart streetlight project are also going to start soon. Under this, 770 streetlights will be installed along 11.5 km of roads covering sectors 71-72, 73-74, 75A-76, 78-79, outer 70A, outer 77, outer 79, and 79B, at a cost of Rs 6.
5 crore. MSID:: 116944314 413 |.
