Ads on streetlights to fund PWD’s LED switch

The Public Works Department (PWD) will soon begin leasing advertising space on streetlight poles along major city roads as part of its plan to make Delhi's ambitious “smart streetlight” project self-sustaining.

- Snehil Sinha

Officials aware of the initiative said the plan could earn the department ₹250-₹300 crore annually, offsetting the cost of the new citywide street LED lighting system.

Around 100,000 poles across arterial and high-traffic corridors will host 2x3-foot ads, with strict design and safety norms to ensure road visibility and pedestrian movement remain unaffected, said officials.

The revenue model will fund the citywide roll-out of energy-efficient LED “smart lights” set to replace nearly 96,000 conventional sodium vapour lamps over the next 10 months.