An additional 1,285 solar lights will be installed to illuminate Kathmandu roads by mid-December.

According to Kathmandu Metropolitan City, roads have been divided into three sections for installation of solar lights. The first section comprises the Kalanki-Kalimati-Maitighar-Koteshwor stretch and the second
section Kesharmahal-Thamel-Sorakhutte- Balaju stretch. The Kamalpokhari-Gyaneshwor-Maitidevi-Gaushala stretch falls under the third section.

KMC said the solar lights will be installed under Public Private Partnership model.

PPP unit chief at KMC Suman Adhikari said, “The contractor will be allowed to display advertisements for which it will pay Rs 8,700 per pole to KMC.” He said the contractor would hand over the solar lights to KMC after 10 years. The project is estimated to cost Rs 227 million. KMC said the contractor would also be responsible for maintenance of the solar lights.

Information Officer at KMC Basanta Acharya said the solar lights were being installed under Build-Operate-Transfer model. Of the approximately 5,000 solar lights in Kathmandu, more than 1,600 are installed by Nepal Electricity Authority, 2,000 by KMC and others by District Development Committee. However, most of the solar lights have become dysfunctional.

The government had first installed solar lights in Kathmandu during the 18th SAARC Summit in 2014.