Lahore, Pakistan -- The Lahore Development Authority during its governing body meeting on December 6, 2012, had approved the installation of LED lights. The idea behind the decision was to conserve electricity. The Traffic Engineering and Transport Planning Agency handed the project to an international company in February, 2013. TEPA was given a deadline of two months to complete the project. However, so far work has only finished on four roads, MM Alam Road, Peco Road, Model Town Link Road and Khyaban-i-Firdous.

Work on Gulberg’s Main Boulevard, Jail Road, Barkat Market Y Junction from Garden Town to Jinnah Hospital, Khayaban-i-Jinnah, Southern Bypass from Canal Bank Road to College Road in Township, Maulana Shaukat Ali Road, College Road from Akbar Chowk to Ghazi Chowk, Barkat Market Y Junction Garden Town to Bhekewal Mor, Wahdat Road,  Allam Iqbal Town’s Main Boulevard  and Faisal Town’s Main Boulevard is yet to start. Officials say the work might take two months or more.

TEPA Deputy Director Hussain Haider said the project would be completed soon (he did not give a date). He cited the large size of the project as the reason for its delay in completion. He said the project’s total cost was around Rs160 million. He said only the lights were being replaced.

A similar project has been approved for the city government roads by the Planning and Development Department. During the seventh meeting of the Public-Private Partnership steering committee the nod was given to a call for opening bidding for converting the streetlights to LEDs.

According to the project proposal, a company would install LEDs in the entire city replacing sodium lights which consume 120 per cent more electricity. Over a stipulated time the government will only pay the company the amount it saves from power bills for streetlights. K&N International, Islamabad, has placed an unsolicited bid for the project.

District Officer Abdul Qayum said the city government was responsible for only 32 roads. He said more than 150 were under the Lahore Development Authority. He said they would advise the LDA to consider a similar arrangement. He said that the project could work as a proto type for the entire province and could be replicated in other areas if it turned out to be successful. LEDs first replaced sodium lights on a section of Canal Road. Ferozepur Road became the second such road during the Metro Bus Route project.