Centre clears Rs 1,789.52 crore AI-based traffic management system for Delhi

Delhi is set to get a city-wide, technology-based traffic control system. The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Wednesday, 30 September 2026, approved an Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS) for the national capital at an estimated cost of Rs 1,789.52 crore. The project will be implemented by Delhi Police.

What the system covers

How it will work

• Adaptive signals: Traffic lights will change their timings based on real-time traffic, and signals along a corridor will be coordinated to cut unnecessary stops.
• Emergency priority: The system can create green corridors so ambulances and other emergency vehicles move faster.
• Automated enforcement: Cameras will detect red-light and stop-line jumping, speeding, wrong-side driving, riding without a helmet, not wearing a seat belt, illegal parking and using a mobile phone while driving.
• Central control: A command-and-control centre will monitor congestion and manage traffic across the city.

What it means for commuters

For drivers, the most visible change will be smarter signals and more automated challans. For Delhi Police, the system is meant to reduce reliance on manual enforcement at junctions and give real-time data on congestion. The idea of an intelligent traffic system for Delhi has been discussed since around the 2010 Commonwealth Games; this approval gives it funding and a timeline.

Motorists should note that once cameras are live, violations such as not wearing a seat belt or using a phone can be detected automatically, so e-challans may arrive without a physical stop by police.