According to stakeholders, the idea behind the installation of solar lights is to bolster security for tourists. [break]
The solar lights will be a huge relief for tourists, informed Coordinator of the Pokhara Streetlight Installation Committee, Gopi Bahadur Bhattarai.
"All these days, load-shedding has been the major problem for tourists coming to Pokhara. Our motive behind this project is to solve this problem for ever," said Bhattarai.
There have been numerous cases of tourists being robbed on the streets of Lakeside and the New Road area during nighttime.
"Fear of being robbed always lingers among tourists and we strongly believe that completion of this project will end that fear," said Bhattarai, who is also chairperson of the Restaurant and Bar Association Pokhara (REBAN). "And Pokhara will become a must-visit model city," added Bhattarai.
Total of 176 street lights will be installed on the streets of Lakeside and New Road area at intervals of 40 meters. The lights will be of 40 watts and have a life expectancy of about 25 years.
All the lights will be installed before the end of September, assured Bhattarai.
The whole project will be conducted as a joint effort of Pokhara-Sub Metropolitan Office, Pokhara Tourism Council, New Road Improvement Project and the Centre for Inclusive Growth (CIG).
"The tender for the project has already been awarded and the major task of installing the lights will start in a few days," said Bhattarai.
According to coordinator of the project Ananta Prasad Koirala, Pokhara Sub-Metropolitan Office will be funding Rs 4.5 million for the project.
A total budget of Rs 20.2 million has been outlined for the whole project.
"We will be collecting around Rs 3.7 million from the locals of Lakeside and New Road area. Besides that, advertisements will earn us around Rs 1.5 million and another Rs 10.3 million will hopefully come from CIG," said Koirala.
The solar lights will be installed in the major streets of Lakeside area in the first phase and we will move towards New Road in the second phase," informed Bhattarai.
"If the local communities cooperate with us and assist our project, we plan to extend the solar lights to the inner streets as well," Bhattarai said.
Related story
Tapping into the sun
