With 34% of its budget earmarked for electricity, the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has proposed installing at least 2,000 CCTV cameras across Lutyens’ Delhi in coordination with the Delhi police, while setting a target of shifting completely to renewable energy by 2028.
The CCTV cameras will be installed under the Safe City Project, with live feeds shared with the Delhi police. NDMC vice-chairperson Kuljeet Chahal said the integration process has already begun. “So far, 82 cameras have been connected to the Integrated Control and Command Centre, and nearly 700 locations have been identified for installation,” he said.
NDMC chairperson Keshav Chandra, who presented the budget on Wednesday, said the civic body has once again tabled a surplus budget. For 2026–27, NDMC has proposed budget estimates of ₹5,953 crore, with a surplus of ₹143 crore against total expenditure estimates of ₹5,801 crore. For 2025–26, the revised expenditure stood at ₹5,481 crore, resulting in a surplus of ₹205 crore.
Apart from electricity, 34% of the budget has also been allocated to General Administration. Civic amenities have received 11% of the allocation, while sanitation, health, and solid waste management account for 8%.
This year, NDMC has also set aside funds for hosting public events and cultural activities. Chandra said a dedicated budget has been planned for such initiatives. In a first, NDMC has created a separate department for art and culture, allocating 1% of the total budget to it. Under the Public Art and Culture Policy, proposed initiatives include “Art with Heart”, a Creative Hub, and theme-based sculptures.
Heritage projects such as the conservation of the Gole Market building and the Veerangana Museum project are expected to be completed by 2026–27. NDMC has also proposed redevelopment of markets including Super Bazar, Akbar Bhavan, and land near Khan Market, with plans for infrastructure upgrades, universal accessibility, façade standardization, night cleaning, and the introduction of night bazaars.
On the environmental front, NDMC plans to promote Miyawaki forestry. A park near Najaf Khan Road in Lodhi Colony is being developed as a Miyawaki forest, along with a similar project in Sarojini Nagar. The chairperson also said water quality monitoring would be strengthened. “At present, water sampling is done at 45 locations. We will increase the sampling and conduct it daily to ensure quality and quickly flag any contamination,” he said.
In terms of revenue, NDMC data shows that 38% of its income comes from fees and user charges, while 21% comes from tax revenue. License fees contribute 15%, and interest earnings account for 10% of the total income of Rs 5,689 crore for 2025–26.
