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. 

 

 

DCP (Traffic & Protocol) Archana Jha acknowledged that disruption of the technology backbone would place a ‘major burden’ on the existing traffic force, which is already stretched thin. Jha said Raipur Traffic Police would switch to manual traffic regulation while continuing e-challans through Point of Sale (POS) devices. She acknowledged, however, that technology disruption would remain a major challenge for crime and criminal tracking, besides enforcement of ITMS-based traffic violations. Around 390 traffic personnel, from Traffic Inspectors to constabulary, are being stretched across approximately 50 junctions, including critical VVIP movement points. Manpower deployment has effectively doubled during demanding periods, particularly the morning and evening peak hours. “The existing traffic police force is stretched too thin and it will certainly be a major burden,” Jha acknowledged, while stressing that the Commissionerate has contingency arrangements ready. According to her, the Raipur Police Commissionerate has continuously pursued the matter since the problem surfaced. Director General of Police Arun Dev Gautam and Additional Director General of Police (Planning & Provisioning) Pradeep Gupta have also intervened through multiple written communications, with senior authorities assuring early release of budgetary funds. Jha said the budget was expected to be released shortly. Even in a worst-case situation, she maintained, the police were fully prepared to handle traffic and law-and-order requirements manually. “Earlier too, the city functioned without cameras. Our police force is trained and equipped to deal with any eventuality arising from crimes and criminals,” she said.