Bhubaneswar: The completion of street light work between much of Patia Big Bazaar Square (Banaphoola Basti) and Nandankan Square has brought cheer to people living along the stretch.
The project was executed by Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA) in collaboration with Forests and Environment department.
The project with an investment of around Rs 1.30 crore, includes 130 poles with state-of-the-art 260 LED lights that generate ample light. While the 90-watt LED lights on the poles with decorative double arms are for the main thoroughfare, at the Nandankanan Square a high-mast with nine 200-watt LED flood lights has been placed. The nine flood lights provide lighting for the roundabout and also the entire area up to the gate towards the Nandankanan Zoological Park.
While the median poles on the 4-km stretch are 9 metres high each, the high-mast at the centre of the Nandankanan Square is 16 metres.
This has helped the entire area of Nandankanan, Raghunathpur, Nandan Vihar and adjacent areas including the dozens of residential colonies and apartment complexes on both sides of the busy Airport-Nandankanan Road. As the area falls outside the area of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), BDA took up the responsibility.
The project was inaugurated recently in presence of Forests and Environment minister Bijayshree Routray, Housing, Urban Development and Water Resources minister Niranjan Pujari, Odia Language, Literature and Culture and Tourism minister Ashok Chandra Panda, MP Prasanna Patasani, MLA Bhubaneswar (North) Priyadarshi Mishra and leaders and office-bearers of Bhubaneswar Block, among others.
Gopal Das, a shop owner from Raghunathpur, thanked the development authority and Forests and Environment department for the initiative as the area has become a major residential zone with many residential projects including high-rise structures coming up.
Laxmipriya Sia, a housewife from Nandan Vihar, is also happy as the lighting arrangement between Patia Big Bazar Square and Nandankan Square has provided a fillip to the long-standing demands of many localities along the Airport-Nandankanan Road.
