Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Cabinet on Wednesday approved a proposal by the Housing and Urban Development (H&UD) Department to utilize up to ₹200 crore from the Odisha Urban Infrastructure Development Fund’s (OUIDF) own resources—drawn from recovery of principal and interest—for implementing the LED Public Street Lighting Project in 110 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) across the state under retrofitting stretches.
The project, already under execution, aims to replace outdated fixtures with smart, energy-efficient LED luminaires in existing public lighting systems, while also ensuring their long-term operation and maintenance. It follows a state-wide programme to modernise street lighting in both newly developed (greenfield) stretches and existing (retrofitting) stretches for better illumination, public safety, and security.
In recent years, the expansion of ULB areas and growing public demand have created the need for additional street lighting infrastructure. Municipalities and NACs have sought new installations in unlit stretches as well as upgrades in older networks where components have become defective.
Earlier, in its 69th meeting on December 30, 2023, the Cabinet had approved the LED Public Street Lighting Project for all 110 ULBs, with greenfield works funded through OUIDF loans and grants along with ULB contributions. For retrofitting, joint surveys were carried out by implementing agencies, ULBs, and independent engineers to identify equipment requiring replacement.
Following this assessment, six implementing agencies were assigned the work, with the total retrofitting project cost estimated at ₹350.04 crore. Of this, ₹150 crore from OUIDF has already been deployed. The newly approved ₹200 crore allocation will cover the remaining cost.
Officials said the initiative will enhance lighting coverage, improve energy efficiency, and reduce maintenance costs, benefiting residents across all ULBs in the state.
