"The solar street lights would be installed in a five-kilometer stretch in Salt Lake and Kolkata in another three months with an initial project cost of Rs 2.5 million," SP Gonchowdhuri, the West Bengal Renewable Energy Development Agency (WBREDA) director, told IANS.

"In rural areas, solar lights are not new. But for the first time we would install solar lights in an urban area. We hope to complete the job before Durga Puja in October," Gonchoudhuri said.

"Solar street lights in urban areas are in use in the US, Germany, Europe and Japan. In India, the Kolkata-Salt Lake area would be the maiden urban sector to go solar in street-lighting," Gonchoudhuri said.

"Of the total cost of implementing the project, the Centre would bear 50 per cent. The rest would be borne by the user organisations (Salt Lake municipality and Kolkata Corporation).

"The lights would be low energy consuming LEDs (Light-Emitting Diode). A 10-watt LED is equivalent to a 100-watt conventional bulb. We would install 20 watt imported LEDs while the electronic circuit, battery and other equipment would be all locally made," Gonchoudhuri said.

"The installation cost of these lights may be high but the maintenance cost is zero for the next six years. It would ensure uninterrupted power and without any hassle of cable laying," said the WBREDA director.