RAWALPINDI: The Rawal Town Municipal Administration (RTMA) has decided to replace all streetlights with light-emitting diodes (LEDs) to save energy.

Rawal Town Administrator Chaudhry Mohammad Ali Randhawa on Sunday visited various areas in the city for the security of the Chehlum procession to be held on December 24, and found several streetlights damaged.

He took up the matter with Town Municipal Officer (TMO) Sardar Tashfeen and asked him to use LEDs for streetlights as ordered by the Punjab government.

He also directed the TMO to complete work on the route and ensure that all manholes were covered, to which TMO Tashfeen replied that the work would be completed soon.

When contacted, Mr Randhawa told Dawn that the provincial government had asked TMAs to replace streetlights with LEDs to save energy.

“RTMA allocated Rs110 million for streetlights in city areas and another Rs1.67 million for the Benazir Bhutto Road,” he said.

He added that the civic body had floated tenders and work would start next month.

He added that RTMA would launch a new system to improve the lighting system and complaints regarding the streetlights would be avoided.

Responding to a question, Mr Randhawa said that according to the government policy, not all streetlights would be lit to conserve energy.

“Every third streetlight was lit while two remained off in each row. The impression that all the streetlights were out of order is wrong,” he added.