Agencies responsible for maintaining Delhi’s Street lights will face a penalty of Rs 2,000 per light for every day of delay beyond a 48-hour repair deadline, under a new project to install one lakh smart LED lights across the Capital.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta launched the initiative at Andrews Ganj on Thursday, saying it would address dark spots and improve safety for women and other road users. The project follows concerns raised by female students during her recent interaction at Delhi University about poorly lit stretches in the city.
Under the plan, the status of individual lights will be monitored in real time through a central command centre. Each light will carry a QR code that residents can scan to access information and register complaints. The Government has set a target of keeping 99 per cent of the lights functional.
The Public Works Department will oversee the system, which will also include smart feeder pillars to improve monitoring and control. The project covers installation as well as maintenance, including action in cases of theft and vandalism.
Around 45,000 existing high-pressure sodium vapour lamps will be replaced with energy-efficient LED lights. The Government expects the shift, along with smart scheduling, to reduce electricity consumption and generate savings of around Rs 100 crore over five years.
The system will adjust illumination according to the time of day, increasing brightness in the evening and reducing it in the morning. The Government said the technology would help improve lighting while controlling energy costs.
The Chief Minister said the initiative was intended to make Delhi’s roads and public spaces safer and ensure that women could travel more confidently after dark.
She said the Government was using technology to improve public services and strengthen accountability in street-light maintenance.
The project sets illumination standards for different types of roads. Average lighting levels are to be maintained at 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.
The Government said these specifications would help ensure consistent lighting quality and improve visibility for road users, including in foggy conditions.
The 48-hour repair deadline is intended to address a key weakness in the existing system, under which real-time information about faulty lights is not available. With the new arrangement, faults are expected to be identified more quickly, while the penalty provision will make agencies accountable for delays.
The project will be rolled out across various Assembly constituencies, beginning with Andrews Ganj.
The Government has described it as part of its broader effort to improve basic civic infrastructure through technology and more effective monitoring.
PWD Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh said the smart lighting system would improve visibility on roads and help make night-time travel safer.
He said monitoring each light would help authorities identify breakdowns and ensure repairs were completed on time. New Delhi MP Bansuri Swaraj and several MLAs, including Satish Upadhyay, Shikha Rai, Anil Sharma and Neeraj Basoya, attended the launch.