The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking has initiated urgent work to replace ageing 33,000-volt underground cables in the Girgaon-Malabar Hill belt to improve reliability and prevent power outages in south Mumbai.
The move comes after both extra high tension (EHT) power cables feeding the Girgaon Receiving Station developed faults near Marine Lines earlier this month, leading to a prolonged power outage in parts of Girgaon. Officials said the disruption was aggravated as the joint of one cable lay beneath railway tracks, making immediate repair impossible, while a second cable also failed during restoration efforts.
The power supply to Mumbai Central–South is currently dependent on two 33kV (kilovolts) underground cables routed to the Girgaon Receiving Station, both of which pass under railway tracks near Marine Lines station, the undertaking stated. The incident exposed vulnerabilities in the ageing infrastructure, prompting the undertaking to pursue a long-term permanent solution.
As an interim measure, BEST restored supply by locating and connecting an old unused cable duct at the site. However, officials said this was only a temporary arrangement.
To ensure a stable and uninterrupted power supply in future, BEST has now begun laying new underground cable ducts through multiple routes, including Netaji Subhash Road, F Road, Maharshi Karve Road, and Shyamaldas Gandhi Road, before connecting them through a pipe duct beneath railway tracks. The work has been undertaken after obtaining necessary permissions from the Municipal Corporation and traffic authorities.
Officials said the project aims to replace ageing infrastructure serving both Girgaon and Malabar Hill receiving stations.
BEST proposes two new power feeding centres as part of upgrade plan
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Two new power feeding centres are also proposed as part of the upgrade plan.
The initiative is aimed at strengthening the reliability of electricity supply in the area and avoiding recurrence of similar outages in the future. The undertaking has reportedly allocated around Rs 20 crore for the upgrade works.
The work was inspected on Thursday in the presence of BEST committee representatives and local leaders.
BEST has assured that the project will be completed at the earliest and will significantly enhance the resilience of the power distribution network in South Mumbai.
* This article was originally published here
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