Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has been installing solar lights on major streets and thoroughfares of Kathmandu, with the target of accomplishing the project before the Saarc summit.

“We have been directed to complete the installation works on the assigned stretches three weeks before the summit. We are working day and night to meet the deadline,” said Bhanubhakta Bhattarai, chief at the NEA central branch. NEA has prepared a blueprint for first phase of the project. It is comprised of some major routes: Tribhuvan International Airport to Maitighar, Thapathali to Soaltee Mode,  Maitighar to City Hall and Tundikhel to Ranipokhari

Similarly, the stretch from Tripureshwor to Jamal will also to be equipped with solar street lamps before the Saarc summit.  “All these stretches are to be completed before the Saarc summit before we move on to the second phase of the project which will complete next year,” said Bhattarai.

The project is part of the Kathmandu city beautification plan concocted by the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC). While NEA has taken the responsibility of installing solar lamps on most of the major routes, KMC will only be overseeing the project being launched at Kesharmahal-Maharajgunj road. “It is because of the budget issues,” said Sanjay Raj Upadhyay, chief of the Road Department at KMC. “The government committed budget for the Saarc beautification is very tight.

Hence KMC will be supervising only one route.” The government has committed Rs 85 million to the KMC for city beautification project. A lion share of the budget will be spent on the solar light installation at Kesharmahal-Maharajgunj road.