Smart lighting system approved for 312k street lamps in six MCD zones in Delhi

Delhi's MCD approved replacing streetlights with an intelligent system in six zones, aiming for full upgrade in three years, enhancing efficiency and savings.

The Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) approved the replacement of the existing streetlight network and installation of an intelligent streetlight system in six out of 12 zones in Delhi, officials said.

Smart lighting system approved for 312k street lamps in six MCD zones in Delhi

In a meeting held on Friday, the civic body approved deploying a new agency for the six zones covering Karol Bagh, Civil Lines, City SP Zone, Narela, Rohini, and Keshavpuram.

“A new agency will be responsible for the operation and maintenance of streetlights. This includes their phased replacement for a period of ten years in the zones that previously fell under the North Delhi Municipal Corporation,” said an official, adding that over the next three years, all streetlights in these zones will be fully upgraded with the Intelligent Lighting Management System (ILMS).

The ILMS technology enables the real-time monitoring of faulty streetlights. “Complaints regarding malfunctioning streetlights can be processed and resolved at the earliest. Additionally, if no one is passing through a particular route, the intensity of the streetlights will automatically be lowered; if this situation persists for an extended period, the lights will even switch off completely. Sensors embedded in the system will automatically switch the lights back on whenever a person, vehicle, or animal passes by,” an official explained.

According to officials, around 312,000 streetlights in these six zones were upgraded from High-Pressure Sodium Vapor (HPSV) lamps to LEDs between 2012 and 2022. “Since these lights are now reaching the end of their operational lifespan, the oldest units—followed by the subsequent batches—will be replaced in a phased manner over the next ten years. The new lights will be equipped with ILMS technology, expected to save around ₹5 crore annually in power bills.

The work order for the current service provider is set to expire in May 2026, said officials.

Subsequently, another survey will be conducted six months into the following year, during which 80,000 HPSV lights installed in unauthorised colonies will be replaced. After that, 25 percent of the remaining existing lights will be replaced. In the second year, the replacement of existing lights will be carried out in two phases, replacing 25 percent of lights in each half-year period. The same procedure will be followed in the third year as well, officials said.