KATHMANDU: The long-dark Balkumari–Balkhu section of the Ring Road will be illuminated before Dashain, with Lalitpur Metropolitan City launching a major street-light installation project to improve nighttime road safety.

The metropolis is installing 1,337 street lights, including 65 mini mast lights and two 16-meter high-mast lights, in partnership with the Nepal Electricity Authority under a 60:40 cost-sharing model. The Department of Roads has contributed Rs30 million to the project.

The city has already installed 2,069 smart street lights and 91 CCTV cameras across Lalitpur and is expanding surveillance to major road intersections. It is also accelerating the removal of overhead utility wires and constructing Nepal’s first disability-friendly sky bridge with a lift at Kusunti, with both projects targeted for completion before Dashain.