AS RAIPUR prepares to celebrate the nation’s 80th Independence Day, Chhattisgarh’s first Police Commissionerate city faces an unprecedented disruption of its digital traffic and surveillance backbone. The Intelligent Traffic Management System (ITMS), city surveillance network and Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) face a wider shutdown from August 15, 2026, over unpaid dues of Rs 9.46 crore. L&T Technology Services Limited (LTTS), the Larsen & Toubro subsidiary executing Operations and Maintenance (O&M) of the Raipur Smart City ITMS, City Surveillance and ICCC project, has formally notified the Raipur District Urban Public Service Society (RDUPSS) that it will withdraw O&M support. The Hitavada has accessed LTTS letter Ref No. LTTS/RDUPSS-ITMS/028, dated July 27, 2026, addressed to the Secretary, RDUPSS. Citing outstanding dues of Rs 9,46,42,015, the company states that it is “constrained to withdraw support from all O&M services with effect from 15th Aug 2026.” The dispute traces back to Contract Agreement SL/No.19/RDUPSS/ITMS/2025 dated September 1, 2025. LTTS lists eight previous communications seeking payment and consent for novation, including letters dated February 9, March 3, March 28 and June 19, 2026, but says no confirmation on release of dues followed. The outstanding amount comprises three quarterly payments, QGR-1 due December 31, 2025, QGR-2 due March 31, 2026 and QGR-3 due June 30, 2026, of Rs 2,72,69,927 each, besides Rs 1,28,32,234 towards a two-month service extension billed to Raipur Smart City Limited (RSCL). LTTS has said it will bear no responsibility for system downtime, failures, contractual non-compliance or SLA-related implications after withdrawal.

 

The communication, signed by Sasisekar S, Head, Operations System Integration, was also marked to the Commissioner of Police, Raipur, and Nodal Officer, RDUPSS. A senior IPS officer of Chhattisgarh Police privy to the developments, explicitly not to be quoted, told The Hitavada that the issue has been moving for more than a month between the Urban Administration and Development Department (UAD), Home Department, Finance Department, Raipur Police Commissionerate and Chief Minister’s Office (CMO). The officer disclosed that around six months ago, the State Cabinet had directed payment on a 50:50 basis from UAD’s Smart City funds and Road Transport’s police compound fee collections, but the decision remained unimplemented. Sources said LTTS, following requests from senior police officers, has reluctantly continued CCTV and surveillance coverage at select critical locations involving VVIP movement and prime markets. This limited concession, they cautioned, cannot continue indefinitely because O&M entails recurring expenditure on annual maintenance contracts, original equipment manufacturer support, manpower and associated operations. The deterioration is already visible on Raipur’s streets. More than 40 strategic junctions are affected, while 500- plus CCTV cameras installed across 142 locations, including major thoroughfares and VVIP movement routes, have been impacted along with 36 Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) units.

 

The disruption substantially reduces technology-assisted monitoring used for tracing suspect vehicles, traffic violations and hit-and-run cases. At the heavily travelled Pachpedi Naka underbridge, traffic personnel are already being deployed for manual regulation in the absence of an operational automated signal cycle. Significantly, the electronic indicator mounted above the signal was visibly displaying “BLK”, consistent with the signal being in blinking mode, while policemen physically managed traffic connecting the city with Ring Road-2 and the Raipur-Dhamtari National Highway. The fallout extends to 83 emergency call boxes and 20 smart poles meant to provide motorists emergency connectivity with police control rooms. Public-address systems and digital signboards carrying civic and weather alerts have also been affected. The Hitavada sent questionnaires seeking official versions from Principal Secretary (Home) Niharika Singh Barik and Raipur Commissioner of Police Dr Sanjeev Shukla. Barik did not respond despite this reporter’s repeated attempts through voice calls and messages on WhatsApp and FaceTime. When approached for his version, Dr Shukla referred this reporter to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Traffic & Protocol) Archana Jha, who responded in detail and acknowledged the operational gravity of the situation.