The government is set to install as many as 45,308 solar street lights along 1,100-km of roads in municipal areas across the country in the current fiscal.

According to the Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development, the Public Participation Based Solar Street Light Programme will replace nearly 50,000 halogen, CFL and mercury-vapour lamps.

“Once the solar-powered street lights are installed, municipalities will be relieved of the burden of paying electricity tariff to the Nepal Electricity Authority,” said Narahari Sharma Bhandari, under secretary and chief of Municipality and Environmental Management Division at MoFALD.

The Kathmandu Metropolitan City, sub-metropolitan cities and municipalities have been paying tens of millions of rupees to the NEA in electricity tariff every year.

“The programme aims to illuminate urban settlements with solar-powered lights and support the government’s move to end load-shedding,” he informed.

The street lighting campaign is also expected to reduce crimes during late hours of the night and maintain security. MoFALD said a budget of Rs 500 million was already allocated to 143 out of 217 municipalities.

Only 143 municipalities had submitted their proposal to the ministry for installation of solar street lights under the programme. The ministry, local bodies and users’ committees bear 60, 25 and 15 per cent of the total expense respectively.

As many as 18 out of 22 municipalities in the Valley have enjoyed grants provided by the ministry under the cost participation model. The government has provided Rs 559.68 million to the KMC for installation of 8,541 solar street lights in the current fiscal.

Similarly, grants have been provided to Lalitpur Sub-metropolitan City to install 2,188 solar street lights. Gokarneshwor Municipality, Madhyapur Thimi Municipality, Kageshwori Manahara Municipality, Bhaktapur Municipality and Karyabinayak Municipality have also received grants to install 1,532; 1,263; 769; 759 and 660 solar street lights respectively.

Similarly, Tarkeshwor Municipality will install 644, Budhanilkanta Municipality 556, Nagarjun Municipality 446, Chandragiri Municipality 394, Anantalingeshwor Municipality 275, Mahalaxmi Municipality 270, Kirtipur Municipality 207, Dakshinkali Municipality 155, Nagarkot Municipality 50, Shankharapur Municipality 35 and Suryabinayak Municipality eight solar street lights. Altogether 19,000 solar street lights will be installed in the Valley.

The ministry has already issued technical specifications with standards as prescribed by the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre.

As per the standards, the life of solar panel, battery and solar light should have a warranty of 20 years, five years and two years respectively.

The municipalities have been directed to initiate installation of solar street lights by concluding the tender process by January 9.