Bengaluru to shine bright with LED streetlights, plan to cost

In a move to enhance energy efficiency and reduce maintenance costs, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), which is Bengaluru’s civic administrative body, has proposed a significant upgrade to the city’s streetlighting system.
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On August 22, the state cabinet approved a plan to transition to LED streetlights under a comprehensive annual energy-saving model. The new system will feature centralized control and monitoring, accompanied by seven years of maintenance, The Indian Express reported.
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Karnataka Law Minister H. K. Patil announced that the initiative will be rolled out in four distinct packages across seven city zones. To finance this upgrade, the cabinet has authorized the use of funds previously deposited with the Bengaluru Electricity Supply Company (Bescom).
This strategy mirrors successful models adopted by other urban areas in Karnataka, where sodium-vapour streetlights have been replaced with LED alternatives to cut power consumption. The shift to LED technology is projected to reduce annual energy use by up to 50 per cent compared to the older systems, the report noted.
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Currently, the BBMP has already installed approximately 1.6 lakh LED streetlights in some zones, including Mahadevapura. With nearly 4.6 lakh streetlights spread across the seven zones, the upcoming project aims to replace around 3 lakh of these with new LED fixtures, it added. This initiative is expected to significantly decrease the city’s electricity consumption and lower operational costs.