LAHORE, Dec 6: The Traffic Engineering and Transport Planning Agency has decided to install indigenously designed 'LED' signals without bulbs in the provincial metropolis for 90 per cent reduction in electricity bill.

The agency has decided to replace the existing traffic signals because of high power consumption and maintenance costs on account of frequent fusing of bulbs due to power fluctuations.

The new signals will be safe from fusing because bulbs will not be used. Light will come from over 100 tiny light emitting diodes (LEDs) to be used instead of bulbs.

The new traffic signals will not be rendered unserviceable because all the LEDs will not fuse simultaneously on account of power fluctuations. The electricity consumption of the LED signals will be 10 per cent of the signals with bulbs.

The agency will begin the replacement work next year starting from major roads like the Shahrah-i-Quaid-i-Azam, Jail Road, Gulberg Main Boulevard and Ferozepur Road. It will replace around 70 per cent signals by the end of the year.

District Nazim Mian Amer Mahmood has approved the replacement plan because of the reduced maintenance costs, improvement in efficiency and the 90 per cent saving expected in electricity bills.

The replacement cost of Rs12.6 million will thus be recovered in the form of reduction in power bills and maintenance costs. The City District Government is paying around Rs10 million in the form of traffic signals electricity bills every year.