Delhi’s Rs 100 crore streetlighting plan includes QR codes and real-time monitoring

Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta has launched a programme to install one lakh smart LED streetlights across the capital, with the government targeting improved visibility, greater safety and lower electricity consumption.

The initiative was launched on Thursday, October 15, at the Andrews Ganj bus stop in south Delhi under the government’s Seva Sankalp Abhiyan. It follows concerns raised by women students about inadequate streetlighting and poorly lit areas during an interaction with the chief minister at Delhi University.

Under the programme, approximately one lakh existing streetlights will be replaced with smart LED lights, including around 45,000 high-pressure sodium-vapour lamps, reported The Indian Express.

The Public Works Department will monitor the system through a central command centre that will receive real-time information about the operational status of individual lights. The target is to maintain 99 per cent functionality across the system.

Faulty lights must be repaired within 48 hours of a complaint. Agencies that fail to meet the deadline will face a penalty of Rs 2,000 per light per day.

Each light will carry a QR code that residents can scan to access information and register complaints. Smart scheduling will increase illumination in the evening and reduce it in the morning to limit unnecessary electricity consumption.

The government estimates that the replacement programme will save around Rs 100 crore in electricity costs over five years.

The system is also designed to maintain average illumination levels of 35 lux on main roads and 25 lux on service roads for seven years. The lights will have a colour temperature of 3,000 kelvin and a minimum luminous efficacy of 150 lumens per watt.

PWD minister Parvesh Sahib Singh said the system would improve visibility on roads and public spaces, while monitoring and timely repairs would be important to maintain performance.

The programme introduces defined maintenance requirements alongside the technology upgrade. Its impact will depend on the speed of installation, the reliability of monitoring and agencies’ compliance with the repair deadlines.