New Delhi, July 15 -- The Delhi government has set an ambitious target of completing most of its citywide Smart LED streetlight project before Diwali this year, with the tendering process entering its final stage. Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Parvesh Sahib Singh Verma said the contract is expected to be awarded within the next 10 to 15 days, paving the way for the rollout of the Rs. 473.24-crore initiative.
Speaking to Millennium Post, Verma said four to five companies have participated in the bidding process and the government is aiming to complete the project ahead of the festival season.
"The tendering process has been completed and the contract is expected to be awarded within the next 10 to 15 days. Four to five companies have participated in the bidding. Our target is to complete the project before Diwali. Even if we are unable to achieve 100 percent completion, we expect at least 70 to 80 percent of the work to be finished by then," he said.
The project involves replacing nearly 96,000 conventional streetlights installed along PWD roads with advanced Smart LED lighting systems integrated with real-time monitoring technology. The government also plans to install around 5,000 additional poles to eliminate dark spots, replace missing poles and meet future requirements.
Unlike the existing complaint-driven maintenance system, the new network will be connected to a Centralised Command Centre (CCC), enabling officials to monitor the functioning of every streetlight in real time. Any malfunction or outage will be detected instantly, allowing quicker repairs
and reducing the chances of prolonged dark stretches on city roads.
The government expects the modern lighting system to improve road visibility, strengthen women's safety and make public spaces safer after dark. The Smart LED lights are also expected to provide more uniform illumination, better lux levels and lower light pollution.
Apart from improving urban infrastructure, the project is expected to deliver substantial energy savings. Officials estimate that the upgraded lighting system will reduce electricity consumption by nearly 40 million units annually, translating into savings of around Rs 25 crore every year.
The contract includes a seven-year warranty on lighting fixtures and five years of operation and maintenance by the selected contractor. It also incorporates performance-based service agreements, with incentives for efficient execution and penalties for delays or poor performance.
The government has adopted a deferred payment model, under which 25 per cent of the project cost will be paid upfront, while the remaining amount will be released in instalments over five years.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.