Members of the Finance and Contracts Committee (F&CC) at Jalandhar in India gathered recently to discuss a 65,000 high pressure sodium streetlight replacement project with LEDs that will cost an estimated INR 2.74 billion (US $40.39 million), reported The Tribune.

Of the six votes polled, four voted in favor of the streetlight upgrade project while two objected against the agenda, amid protests of alleged corruption scandal by two of its members.

The committee comprises six members, Mayor Sunil Jyoti, MC Commissioner Gurpreet Khehra, Deputy Mayor Arvinder Kaur Oberoi, councilor Bhagwant Parabhakar, Senior Deputy Mayor Kamaljit Bhatia and councilors Ravi Mahendru.

Even councilor Ravi Mahendru walked out of the meeting following heated arguments with the Mayor, Deputy Mayor Kamaljit Bhatia presented a dissenting note over the issue.

The most ambitious project proposed by the ministry committee was replacing 65,000 high pressure sodium streetlights with LED lights, which will be undertaken by the PCP company. The company will cover all the costs of the streetlight project. Four companies have signed up to upgrade the city streetlights with LEDs.

During the 10-year maintenance period, the company will cover all expenses of the project on the condition that 89% of the project dividends will be received by the company, while 11% will go to the MCJ. The corporation will pay INR 103.7 million annually and INR 1.04 billion over a period of 10 years, as per the 89% share as savings on the project.

The civil body will be able to thus slash energy costs from INR 192.1 million to INR 75.6 million, saving about INR 116.5 million, while MCJ will retain INR 12.5 million annually in savings.

The streetlight installations rolled out during Christmas will not be completed in another period of eight to nine months.

The Senior Deputy Prime Mayor alleged the project cost an additional INR 33o million and the company that won the project tinder was incompetent.