New Delhi

The Public Works Department (PWD) has decided to replace around 140,000 of the 270,000-odd CCTV cameras procured through Chinese firms, due to operational challenges and security concerns, officials aware of the developments said on Wednesday.

Officials said the move is in line with recent directives issued by the Centre, and that the move will be executed in phases to ensure that surveillance in the city is not disrupted.

PWD minister Parvesh Verma said, “We have taken a decision to phase out a significant portion of the CCTV cameras installed across the city, particularly those sourced from Chinese firms, in line with recent government directives and broader security considerations.”

The Union government order mandates that CCTV cameras cannot be sold in India without certification under new security rules, effectively restricting their use due to national security concerns. It comes into effect from April 1, 2026, following certification norms introduced in April 2024 with a two-year transition period.

The PWD currently has 274,389 CCTV cameras, of which around 140,000 were sourced from Chinese manufacturer Hikvision between September 2020 and November 2022.

The remaining 134,389 cameras were installed between June 2025 and March 2026, and procured from an Indian manufacturer.

Officials said that maintenance issues and poor availability of components also contributed to the decision. “Over time, we have also faced practical challenges, including the unavailability of compatible recording boxes, spare parts and technical support, which has affected maintenance and reliability of the system,” Verma said.

He said that given the scale of the network, ensuring consistent performance was critical for public safety infrastructure.

In the first phase of the transition, the government has approved replacement of 50,000 cameras over the next few months, officials said. “The transition will be carried out in a phased manner to avoid any disruption in surveillance coverage, which is being simultaneously rationalised,” Verma said.

Officials said that the exercise will include the installation of upgraded systems that are compliant with current technical and security standards. They said that the exercise is expected to address both operational gaps and evolving requirements in urban surveillance infrastructure.

The PWD will be conducting a survey simultaneously to ensure that the coverage network is rationalised and more cameras are installed in areas where the coverage is currently inadequate. The PWD’s CCTV network spans residential colonies, markets, courts, hospitals and major public spaces. The phased replacement is expected to be aligned with updated procurement and technical standards, officials said.