ISLAMABAD, Jan 14: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has declined an offer of a company to install some 86 solar lamp posts against advertisement rights for a decade, Dawn has learnt reliably.

Had the MoU been signed with the CDA, the company would have sold billboards and other advertisement places.

To the contrary, the cash strapped CDA is considering a proposal to initiate a project worth Rs6 billion in which almost 65,000 conventional streetlights in the city will be replaced by light-emitting diode (LED) lights.

Besides being environment friendly, the project, as officials of the authority claim,will have lower operational costs and longer life.

Currently the civic authority is paying Rs120 million a month to the Islamabad Electric Supply Company as power bill.

'The company offered to install solar streetlights in two phases in sector F-7 and G-7,' said an engineering wing official close to the developments.

'They were also ready to own the responsibility for maintenance and performance of the streetlights,' said the official.

The document available with Dawn indicated that solar production company has already installed streetlights on Expresswayin Gujranawala and few other places within the capital city.

When approached the chairman of the CDA Farkhand Iqbal insisted: 'Nothing is offered free and since no such project is viable because it must be having several hidden issues which might have created trouble in the later stages.

He asked why a company would offer free lights for mere marketing and advertisement revenue purposes.

'Such proposals keep on coming and we are aware why these shady proposals are forwarded,' added the chairman.

Mr Iqbal said that the CDA's LED lights were very much viable 'since it is cost-effec-tive and very much environment friendly and has life up to 22 years.

'CDA's monthly expenses are around Rs220 million which need to be slashed to few millions and the foremost option is to abolish the maintenance wing,' said the chairman.

He said the Asian Development Banlc had offered to pay soft loan LED lights projects which would be returned through savings from electricity bills.

'The LED lights not only beneficial for the citizens but vital for the survival of the CDA,' asserted Mr Iqbal, who had been part of the Planning Commission, where the LED project is being scrutinised.