KATHMANDU: The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) stated that the major streets, thoroughfares and road sections in the Kathmandu Valley will be illuminated by the solar street lamps within a year and a half.

The KMC is all set to install as many as 1,085 solar lamps with the public-private partnership, shared the KMC Public Private Partnership Chief Shiva Adhikari.

According to Adhikari, more than 20 companies have applied responding to a call for tender from the KMC. The deadline for tender submission is June 26.

The streets in the Kathmandu Valley have been divided into three sections for the installation of such lamps.

In the first phase, 400 poles would be installed along the Kalanki-Maitighar-Kaiser Mahal Chok-Thamel-Chettrapati-Sohrakhutte-Balaju-New Bus Park road section, the KMC informed.

In the second phase, 300 poles would be installed along the Durbarmarg-Kathmandu Plaza- Krishna Pauroti-Gaushala road section.

Likewise, 385 poles would be erected in the third phase along the Old Baneshwar-Ratna Rajya School Area-Sankhamul Bridge-Tinkune-Koteshwar-Narephant-Bhimsengola-Sinamangal road section.

Many of the solar street lamps, installed by the Nepal Electricity Authority during the 18th SAARC Summit in November last year, are out of order owing to lack of maintenance.