If you have been following LEDinside news, India has been a booming market for massive streetlight retrofit projects over the last two years. Progress of LED streetlight projects in the region have been mixed, with some states and municipalities successfully implementing plans, and others lagging behind due to political, financial or technical difficulties. Starting off this week is the progress of one large streetlight project in Hyderabad, and two delayed streetlight installation in the country.

LED streetlight upgrade to helps Hyderabad save INR 1 billion

Hyderabad’s completed LED streetlight upgrade is estimated to help it halve energy bills and shave off INR 1 billion (US $15.04 million) in energy bills, reported The Hans India.

The city has a pilot streetlight project incorporating 750 LED streetlights along Madhapur and Chandrayangutta.

The city which is home to 413,029 streetlights will be carrying out the LED streetlight upgrade through several phases. In the first phase of the city’s LED streetlight upgrade, 32,000 streetlights in the city will be replaced with LED lights, said GHMC mayor Bonthu Rammohan

Officials have been asked to submit a detailed project report regarding the replacement of remaining streetlights. The existing sodium vapor streetlights in the city consume 60 mw of power, and city officials were spending INR 1.9 billion to maintain the streetlights that consume on average 20 million units of electricity per month.

Out of the 413,029 streetlights in the majority are high pressure sodium vapor lights (HPSV) with nearly half of these being 150W HPSV (207,793). This is followed by 250W HPSVs (73,215), 70W HPSV (47,520) and 40W tube lights (16,475). Metal halide (MH) lamps make up the second largest group of streetlight luminaires with 250W types comprising 16,536 and 400W lights (18,150). Only a 254 lights are 120 W LED lights and four are 250W induction lamps.

According to the mayor, the LED streetlight retrofit would cost about INR 5 billion. The city is still surveying and studying the types of wattage of LED bulbs for the streetlight replacement.

Aurangabad Municipal Corporation LED streetlight project still awaiting for approval

Aurangabad Municipal Corporation 40,000 LED streetlight upgrade project has been put on hold, floating tenders related to the project is still awaiting for approval from the municipal commissioner Om Prakash Bakoria, reported The Times of India.

Bakoria has been busy sorting out the municipality’s budget, and has temporarily put the LED streetlight project aside, said sources from the municipal corporation.

Former city commissioner Sunil Kendrekar had scrapped the LED streetlight project, claiming it was not feasible.

A fellow city commissioner Harshdeep Kamble approved the LED streetlight installation project during September to October 2014 under build operate and transfer model, the project worth INR 110 million was commissioned to an installer that was supposed to finish the upgrades within one year.

Ludihana city officials left in the dark over streetlight upgrade

Ludihana is in a similar situation as Aurangabad, where the LED streetlight installation has been stuck in a rut, due to tender issues, reported The Times of India. After a Canadian firm installed LED streetlights on Gill road as demonstration, the state government had asked municipality officials to float a new tender for the state-level of the project.

The city council was stuck in an awkward situation when no company came forward after floating of tenders. Even though a Canadian firm eventually volunteered to take on the job, it requested certain conditions were changed in the tender. Any changes in the tender again could put another spanner in the works, based on information the officials received.

The streetlight project involves installing 100,000 LED streetlights to replace old lights, which is estimated to cost INR 1 billion.

The city will be issuing floating tenders after the department receives tender information, said Additional commissioner Ghanshyam Thori.