HimVani
Shimla: The state capital would soon bathe in sublime light beams emanating from LEDS, laser and mast light lamps as number of projects to beautify the town are underway. Himachal Pradesh chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal stated in the Vidhan Sabha that there are about 6,600 street lamp posts in the town and about 200 such panels are being repaired through a Rs 75-lakh project of the government of India. The 200 lamp posts getting LED panels are on the the Ridge, the pedestrian street between Chhota Shimla and Boileauganj, Raj Bhavan and the Viceregal Lodge, now housing the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies.
The project allotted by Bureau of Energy Efficiency was finalised in November 2009 and is likely to save lakhs of units of power, besides adding to the aesthetics of the place. Shimla MC would also install two laser lights and eight high-mast lights before the coming tourist season. According to official in the tourism department, it has sanctioned a sum of Rs 53 lakhs for installation of these lights.
Eight high mast lights would be installed at Victory Tunnel, Bus Stand, near the lift, Lakkar Bazaar bus stand, Tutikandi bypass, New Shimla, SDA Complex Kasumpati and Chotta Shimla. This would cost 40 lakh rupees. Five such mast light are already working on the Ridge, near CTO, ISBT, High Court and Secretariat. Two laser lights would be installed at New Shimla and near Doordarshan Kendra, Shimla and Chaura Maidan at a cost of Rs 13 lakhs.
According to Edward J Buck’s book ‘Shimla Past and Present’, the lamp posts were fed with electricity supplied by the first hydroelectric project of 1.75 MW set up by the British at Chaba, around 55 km from here. Interestingly, the Chaba project is still generating power and supplying it to the city.
