Archive · 25 Sep 2026
Delhi Plans 20,000 Smart Street Lights By Diwali
Delhi plans to replace 20,000 old street lights with smarter LED lights by Diwali.
These lights will be connected to a central control room.
Officials will be able to see if a light stops working.
They will not always have to wait for residents to complain.
Officials will also be able to control the lights remotely.
The larger plan is to replace 1 lakh lights by January 2027.
The government expects the new lights to save money on electricity and repairs.
It says better lighting could also improve road and women's safety.
Delhi will replace 20,000 dysfunctional street lights with smart LED lights by Diwali.
A PWD command centre will monitor every light in real time and identify faults remotely.
The wider project aims to replace 1 lakh old lights across Delhi by January 2027.
Replacing sodium lights with LEDs is expected to save about Rs 30 crore annually.
The project will cost around Rs 473 crore and link contractor payments to operational performance.
- Who
- The Delhi Public Works Department, led on this announcement by Minister Parvesh Verma, is implementing the project.
- What
- The government will replace old sodium street lights with smart LED lights and monitor them through a central control centre.
- When
- The first 20,000 lights are targeted for replacement by Diwali, with 1 lakh lights planned by January 2027.
- Where
- Across Delhi, with monitoring conducted at the Public Works Department headquarters.
- Why
- The project aims to improve fault detection, speed up maintenance, reduce electricity and maintenance costs, and address dark spots linked to safety concerns.
- First-phase target
- 20,000 street lights by Diwali
- Overall target
- 1 lakh street lights by January 2027
- Lighting technology
- Smart LED lights replacing conventional sodium lights
- Monitoring system
- A central Command and Control Centre at PWD headquarters
- Estimated annual savings
- Around Rs 30 crore in electricity and maintenance costs
- Estimated project cost
- Around Rs 473 crore, including five years of operation and maintenance
- Contractor payment condition
- Monthly payments will be made only after installed lights are fully operational