Solar power to light up Panchabati-Muktarpur elevated road

All 586 road lights along the 9.06-kilometre Panchabati-Muktarpur elevated road in Munshiganj will run on solar power b end of this year, cutting pressure on the national grid and promoting renewable energy.

The initiative is expected to save around Tk 4.03 lakh in electricity bills each month and Tk 48.35 lakh annually, while reducing electricity consumption from the national grid by about 421,920 units a year.

Secretary of the Bridges Division and Executive Director (ED) of the Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) Mohammad Abdur Rouf inspected the project site on Wednesday and expressed satisfaction over the project progress and the use of solar power for the road lighting.

He said the initiative was in line with the government’s plan to conserve electricity and promote environmentally sustainable development.

“The successful implementation of the solar power system in this project is encouraging. Once the project is opened, it will bring a significant change to the communication system in the region,” he said.

According to the project authorities, 586 modern roadlights have been installed on both sides of the elevated road. The lights will be powered entirely by electricity generated through solar panels.

If the lights remain operational for 10 hours a day, the solar system is expected to generate around 1,172 units of electricity per day.  

The initiative is projected to save around Tk 4.03 lakh in electricity bills  monthly and Tk 48.35 lakh annually, while reducing annual electricity consumption from the national grid by about 421,920 units.

BBA ED directed the project officials and contractors to complete the remaining work promptly through better coordination while maintaining construction quality.

He also instructed the project director to take necessary measures to complete the project within the stipulated time and open it to public traffic by end-2026.

Additional Secretary and BBA Director (Administration) Altaf Hossain Sheikh, Project Director Md Ohiduzzaman, Narayanganj Additional Deputy Commissioner (Revenue) Rinat Fouziah and other officials and representatives of the contractor were present during the inspection.