Nagpur: The much-touted “smart police booths” in Nagpur have turned into nothing short of glorified white elephants, useless structures that mock the very purpose for which they were installed. Conceived to protect traffic police personnel from the scorching heat, relentless rains, and biting cold, the city planned 125 such booths under the Smart City initiative, of which over 78 have already been installed. But instead of being a boon, these booths now stand as a glaring testament to administrative negligence, crumbling under neglect. Each booth cost nearly Rs 6 lakh, yet today they “weep” in their decay, accomplishing nothing.
Police nowhere in sight
Due to flyover construction, booths at several major squares, including Agrasen Chowk, have been dismantled and abandoned as junk. At locations such as Shankar Nagar Chowk, Khare Town Chowk, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Chowk, and the stretch between Alankar Talkies and Shankar Nagar Chowk, these once-promising booths stand idle, unattended, and deteriorating. Trash heaps surround some, weeds have taken root near others, and none are occupied by the very traffic personnel they were meant to shelter. These “smart” booths, intended to protect and assist, have become emblematic of bureaucratic incompetence.
Gold Rate
27 Sept 2025
Equipped with modern facilities, including solar power, digital operation via user IDs, exhaust fans, ordinary ceiling fans, and public announcement systems, these booths once promised a revolutionary upgrade for traffic management. The double-layered iron sandwich panels were designed to maintain temperatures up to 3°C cooler than the outside, making them ideal shelters. But today, the public announcement systems are silent, fans useless, and the booths are nothing more than abandoned shells.
While several intersections have been automated, making police presence ostensibly unnecessary, the traffic police department has completely abdicated responsibility for maintenance. Nagpur’s smart police booths are a stark reminder that technology alone cannot solve civic problems; without accountability, even the most modern initiatives collapse into shameful failures.
In reality, these booths are living proof of squandered funds, wasted planning, and bureaucratic apathy, public money literally rotting on the roadside.
