By Dr Md Aynal Haque

RAJSHAHI, Jan 9, 2024 (BSS) - Modern and eye-catching lighting in both road crossings and streets have ensured security together with smooth movement privileges to the passengers and pedestrians everywhere in the city.
 
Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC) has, so far, installed decorative high mast poles attaching modern lights in 17 road crossings and the all the expanded and widened streets attaching energy-saving and ultra-modern lights at a cost of around Taka 20.96 crore turning the city's streets to more modernized and extra-ordinary looking.

Different types of LED lights have been installed in various important walkways of the city. The aesthetically pleasing electric lights are automatically turned on and off by the autologic controller.

Known for its clean and green environs, Rajshahi city has now been beautified with aesthetic street lights. Pedestrians are enjoying the eye-catching street lights of various designs on different roads.
 
The city shines with those lights as soon as the sun sets in the West.

RCC has already upgraded the important roads of the city to four lanes. Different colourful and aesthetic street lights are being installed in phases to enhance the beauty of the roads.

AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, Mayor of RCC, said that Rajshahi is the only city in the country to have such beautiful street lights. "The safety of pedestrians is increasing due to more light on the roads, as well as the beauty of the city."
 
This ancient city, also known as the city of education, will be the ideal city, hopes the mayor.

On the 2.5-kilometer road from Talaimary to Alupatty crossing, 130 poles were installed with thirteen lights on each of the poles. Besides, 180 garden-light poles were commissioned along the embankment of the road with five lights on each of the poles.

Another 4.2-kilometer road from Bilsimla railway crossing to Kasiadanga crossing has been brightened through 348 butterfly-shaped lights on 174 poles.

To make Rajshahi city more bright and attractive at night, the high altitude flood lights were installed in the City Street.

 
Liton said the road has recently been elevated to a four-lane from 30 feet to 80 feet wide with 10 feet wide footpaths and concrete drains on both sides of the road at a cost of around Taka 52.75 crore.
 
There is also an eight-foot bicycle lane on the southern side of the road. A decorative island has been constructed while trees were already planted on the island to bring a greenery look there, he said.

Mayor Liton said they have brightened the newly constructed 6.793-kilometer connecting road from Biman crossing to Bihas crossing with 530 LED lights on 285 poles.
 
A total of 330 lights were attached on 165 poles on island of the four-lane road from Naodapara bus terminal to Bhadra railway crossing, while another 4.2-kilometer road starting from Shaheed AHM Kamaruzzaman crossing to Talaimary crossing with 2,236 energy-saving lights on 172 poles.

Another 4.5-kilometer street from Alupatty crossing to Court has been illuminated with 2,379 lights on 183 poles besides attaching 310 lights on 155 poles on the road from Bilsimla to city hat.

The city corporation has elevated the Bilsimla railway crossing to City Hat street road to a four-lane aimed at making the movement of both vehicles and people quick and smooth.
 
The RCC has turned the road to 80-foot wide along with a four-foot wide road divider with an outlay of around Tk 44.92 crore as part of RCC's Tk 2,993 crore project titled "Integrated Urban Infrastructure Development in Rajshahi City."

In addition to adding 150 lights on 75 poles on the 2.5-kilometer road from Lily Cinema Hall crossing to Court Dhalan, 5.73-kilometer walkway from Panchabati mortuary to Barakuthi and from Bulanpur to T-groin has been brightened through 191 lights on equal number of poles.

The 5-kilometer bypass road from Octroy crossing to Kharkhari bypass has been enlightened with 146 lights on 73 poles apart from the 2.8-kilometer midtown road from Upashahar crossing to Sonadighi crossing and from Malopara to Rajshahi with 120 lights on equal number of poles.

All the roads in the campus of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Hi-tech Park were brightened with 270 street lights on 135 poles.

Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, who is also Presidium Member of Bangladesh Awami League, expressed his gratitude to the government, particularly Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, for support towards infrastructural development, including lighting of the Rajshahi city.