Cuttack: The 80-km stretch of ‘Greenfield’ area here under the purview of Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) will be illuminated with LED street lights within six months, CMC commissioner Sarat Chandra Nayak said Friday.
“The Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) department has signed a pact with Crompton Greaves for execution of the project which would be sponsored by Odisha Urban Infrastructure Development Fund (OUIDF). The firm is expected to complete the lighting project within six months,” Nayak said at the 39th council meeting of CMC held at Biju Bhawan at Choudhury Bazaar here.
About the locations, the CMC commissioner said, “LED street lights will be installed in areas identified as ‘Greenfield’ where commuters could be seen struggling after sun down. The areas mainly fall under Ward 3, 48, 49, 51, 56, 76, 58 and 59 of the CMC.”
Congress corporator Giribala Behera, however, dubbed the initiative as Biju Janata Dal’s poll sop. “Several streets under the CMC have been marred by defunct lights. Besides, a few streets even don’t have a single street light. If the government really wants to benefit the citizens, it could have taken the initiative much earlier. Why now? The H&UD department spending funds on these initiatives close to the general elections substantiates the fact that the BJD government is trying to woo the urban voters,” Behera alleged.
Mayor Meenakshree Behera, however, brushed aside the allegations and said it should not be politicised. “There’s nothing wrong in spending money on illumination of the streets. The new lights will enhance the visibility on roads after sunset which would ensure safety of commuters,” the Mayor clarified.
PNN
