In a move that will save RS 50 crore of the North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC), over two lakh conventional street lights will be replaced with LEDs in the next nine months.

NDMC Commissioner Praveen Gupta said that work will commence on Sunday in Rohini and Narela zones where 2.05 lakh streetlights will be replaced.

The whole conventional lighting system,  semi half-mast lights and lights in parks of North Delhi will be changed to LEDs. A contract for 1.15 lakh light fixtures has been sealed for the two big zones of Rohini and Narela.

Addressing a press conference, Gupta said that the remaining 90,000 will be in the City, Civil Lines, Sadar Paharganj and Karol Bagh zones. With this initiative, 65-70 per cent energy will be saved.

79 per cent of the revenue through energy saving will go to the concessionaire while NDMC will claim the remaining 21per cent that amounts to Rs 14 crore annually.

Gupta stated that along with a cut in expenditure on maintenance charges, the total saving for the civic body will amount to Rs 50 crore annually for a period of seven years.

The concessionaire will take care of the recurring maintenance charges of around Rs 24 crore being paid to discoms, Rs 7 crore for the maintenance of semi high mast lights and Rs 3 crore for their replacement fittings annually. Therefore, these charges will also be spared for the civic body.

As a result, there will be a total saving of Rs 350 crore in the next seven years after which the whole system will be controlled by the NDMC.