Delhi Metro to replace conventional illumination system with LED lights
The Delhi Metro is working on replacing the existing conventional illumination system with LED lights at 155 locations, spanning its stations, depots and parking lots. According to the officials' statement on Sunday, the aim is to save energy and to provide a better experience. This is being done as part of a massive drive started earlier this year, and around one lakh LED lights have been installed by replacing old ones in the recent months, they said.
"To save energy and provide a much better lighting experience, Delhi Metro has undertaken a massive drive to replace the conventional existing lights (incandescent bulbs, fluorescent lamps, CFL lamps etc.) with LED lights at 155 locations covering metro stations, depots, parking, etc. which were constructed or opened for public under DMRC's Ph-I (2005) and Ph-II (2010)," the DMRC said in a statement.
The DMRC has already covered 75 per cent of the drive in recent months by installing around one lakh LED lights at these locations by replacing the conventional lights, a senior official said.
The remaining 25 per cent of the drive will be completed by the end of October this year, wherein around 35,000 LED lights will be installed in the remaining portion of these locations, he said.
The operational life of conventional lights, which were installed in Ph-I and Ph-II was around 10 years.
The DMRC decided to replace these lights which are well past their effective age now with these new-age LED lights which are both cost-effective as well as energy-efficient.
The LED-based light system will help DMRC save around half of the energy expenditure vis-a-vis the existing lighting system.
As a result, the whole cost of installing these lights will be recovered by the DMRC in around two years' time, the statement said.
The lifespan of an LED system is longer compared to conventional existing lights, with much-reduced maintenance cost. On an average, an LED system lasts 50,000 operating hours or more, it said.
An LED source is more than 40 times higher in lifespan than an incandescent bulb. In addition, LED lights have an energy efficiency component which makes them consume a very low amount of power, officials said.
Undertaking this drive at already operational stations was a challenging task for the DMRC maintenance teams, it said.
As there is regular movement of people, the work had to be executed in night time due to safety reasons which in turn increased the installation time, officials said.
"Even during night, the work could be carried out for around two hours only in a day since the time window available from the close of last passenger service and commencement of first passenger service is very limited, and other important operational preparedness and routine maintenance activities are undertaken in this period only," the DMRC said.
The DMRC had to arrange special scaffoldings and cranes to cover the spaces at twice or thrice the normal height of a building which is again very tricky and a time-consuming exercise, it said.
The DMRC has already implemented LED-based lighting solutions at its Phase-III stations and a similar system will be adopted for upcoming Phase-IV stations also, officials said.
(With inputs from PTI)
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