An official reported that the LED installation cut the electricity price by more than Rs 4 crore per month, with energy savings of 52%. He noted that switching to LEDs has not only resulted in cost savings but also increased street illumination and assisted in lowering accidents and criminality.

 

A representative from Kolkata's civic lighting department claims that 1.5 lakh of the city's 3 lakh or so street lights will be replaced with LEDs by 2025, with almost half already having LED installations. "In the last three years, we have invested Rs 150 crore to upgrade the city's street lighting infrastructure. We should recover the invested amount in three years based on the savings rate. To achieve perfect energy efficiency in street lighting, we must now replace the remaining street lights "a city official remarked.

 

When 300 LED lights were initially erected in and around the KMC offices, notably on SN Banerjee Road, in 2014, the shift had already begun nearly ten years prior. However, the project picked up steam in 2018 as LED street lights were installed on the majority of the key thoroughfares.

 

Officials have agreed to spend additional money on the acquisition of LED lights and cover all thoroughfares in the next three years after being encouraged by the positive outcomes of the street light conversion.

 

According to sources, the civic lighting department planned to install LED lights along all important thoroughfares. "About 60% of key thoroughfares now have LED street lighting, which we already installed. As well as other significant highways in other regions of the city that have not yet been covered, we will now focus on roadways in KMC-added areas like Behala, Garden Reach, and Tollygunge to Jadavpur "a city official stated. The civic organisation intends to remove decorative lights after installing more LED lights because the LEDs will greatly improve roadway illumination.