Delhi will soon have smart LED fitted street lights replacing all nearly 96,000 conventional sodium lights and this change will save more than `31.53 crore annually in electricity and maintenance costs.
Announcing this initiative, Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh said private players installing the lights will receive monthly payments only after the lights are fully operational, ensuring that the company remains responsible for upkeep, performance and timely maintenance.
For decades, street lighting projects followed the traditional model where Governments paid contractors in advance, often leading to delays in installation, poor maintenance and limited accountability.
Currently, of the nearly 96,000 street lights managed by PWD, around 45,000 still run on conventional HPSV fittings. These will now be systematically replaced with energy-efficient smart LED lights, ensuring better illumination, reduced electricity consumption and longer lifespan. One of the most remarkable benefits of this transition is the huge cost savings. By switching from HPSV fittings to smart LEDs alone, the Delhi Government expects to save around `31.53 crore annually in electricity and maintenance costs.
This saving will directly benefit taxpayers and allow the Government to reinvest resources into other critical infrastructure and welfare projects.
What makes this project truly futuristic is its technology-driven monitoring system. Each smart light will be connected to a Mobile based app, centralised dashboard and control room, allowing officials to monitor performance in real time, detect faults instantly and ensure immediate repair. In a first for Delhi, this APP will also be open for public access, allowing citizens to view the status of street lights in their area and register complaints.
To further strengthen accountability, the system will come with a time-bound complaint resolution mechanism. Any faulty light reported by a citizen will have to be fixed within a strict deadline, thereby building trust and improving the efficiency of public service delivery.
Highlighting the vision behind this initiative, Parvesh Sahib Singh said, “Delhi’s roads are the backbone of our Capital. With smart LED street lights, we are not just changing fittings. we are changing the very system of governance. This EMI model ensures that companies have a stake in the performance of these lights, making them partners in accountability. For the first time, citizens themselves will be able to see, monitor and question the system in real time. This is transparency in its truest form.”
He further said, “Earlier, the Government would spend money upfront, and the public had to wait endlessly for results. Now, things will work differently-install first, prove performance, and only then will payments be made. This approach makes sure taxpayers’ money is used with honesty and efficiency.”
Alongside better lighting and accountability, the Government is also exploring innovative revenue models.
Every single one of the 96,000 street lights will now be smart, connected, and accountable. And most importantly, every citizen will have access to the dashboard to see whether the system is delivering or not.”
One such proposal under active consideration is the use of poles for advertisement purposes. By allowing regulated advertising on these poles, the government aims to create an additional stream of income that will further reduce the financial burden on the exchequer while keeping urban aesthetics intact.
The PWD has emphasized that this initiative will not only save energy and reduce carbon emissions but also improve road safety, ease of travel, and night-time security across Delhi. Citizens will enjoy well-lit, safer, and more reliable roads, while the government ensures that the system remains cost-efficient, transparent, and participatory.
