IMC considers mandating solar panel installation for high-rise buildings in Indore

The Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) is considering a proposal to mandate the installation of solar panels in tall buildings and large structures as part of its ambitious plan to generate approximately 300 MW of solar power within the next four years.

This move would involve linking the requirement for building permits with the compulsory installation of solar panels.

This proposal was deliberated upon during a review meeting focusing on electricity-related initiatives and strategies chaired by Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava on earlier last week. Officials are emphasizing the necessity of amending regulations to establish a connection between solar panel installation and building approval.

Bhargava directed the incorporation of at least one high-mast solar panel-powered light in 29 villages that were brought under IMC jurisdiction approximately ten years ago. In a bid to transform Indore into a solar-powered city, the mayor instructed officials to convene a meeting involving residents' associations, various unions, and public representatives. He emphasized that at least one neighborhood within each ward of the city should be designated as a solar-powered locality.

Also, the Mayor was briefed on the ongoing replacement of 80,000 street lights with energy-efficient LED lights. An official informed the mayor that there are merely 2,960 LED lights left to be installed in order to achieve the 100 percent target.

Furthermore, the mayor issued directives to arrange a meeting with West Discom officers to address the issue of lights being inadvertently switched off at different locations within the city, even during daylight hours.