Baner, 1st November 2026: Repeated damage to underground electricity cables during the widening of the Mumbai-Bengaluru Highway between Wakad Bridge and Chandani Chowk has raised concerns over the safety of power infrastructure in Pune. Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) has reported three cable damage incidents on October 16, 17 and 31, disrupting power supply and causing inconvenience to consumers.
MSEDCL has alleged that highway construction work continued despite repeated warnings to ensure the safe relocation of underground electricity cables before excavation. The electricity distribution company has filed a police complaint against the contractor at Bavdhan Police Station, seeking legal action over the damage to public property.
According to senior MSEDCL officials, electricity cables obstructing highway widening and service road construction must be relocated as per prescribed procedures. The concerned agency is required to obtain an estimate from MSEDCL, secure approval and complete the necessary work before proceeding with construction.
While the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has obtained the required approval from MSEDCL for work within the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) limits, officials said similar permission has not been obtained for the work within the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) limits.
Three cable damage incidents in October
The first incident occurred on October 16, when a 22 kV Beverly Feeder cable was damaged during highway construction. On October 17, another cable belonging to the 22 kV Bitwise Nia Feeder was damaged near Bitwise Chowk. A third cable damage incident was reported on October 31.
The repeated incidents have made it difficult for MSEDCL to maintain an uninterrupted power supply in the affected areas. The company estimates that repairs and restoration work have resulted in losses amounting to lakhs of rupees. Power disruptions have also inconvenienced consumers and affected the companyтАЩs revenue.
Power supply to Aundh, Baner and Mahalunge at risk
MSEDCL has warned that completing highway construction without properly planning for the existing 22 kV high-tension and low-tension underground electricity cables could create serious problems in the future.
Any fault in these underground cables could potentially affect electricity supply to a large number of consumers in Aundh, Baner and Mahalunge.
The company has stressed that the location of existing cables must be identified and their safe relocation completed before further road construction.
MSEDCL raises concern over cables getting buried under concrete
Another major concern raised by MSEDCL is that underground electricity cables currently located along the roadside could end up beneath the widened carriageway or get buried under concrete during construction.
In such circumstances, identifying faults and carrying out repairs could become extremely difficult. If the concrete road has to be excavated to access damaged cables, restoration work could be delayed, potentially affecting electricity supply to lakhs of consumers.
MSEDCL has maintained that while developing critical infrastructure such as highways, adequate precautions must be taken to prevent damage to essential services, including electricity distribution networks.
Police complaint filed against contractor
The Baner branch office under MSEDCLтАЩs Aundh Subdivision lodged a formal complaint at Bavdhan Police Station on October 27, 2026.
The complaint highlights that construction work allegedly continued despite prior warnings about the need to safely relocate underground electricity cables. MSEDCL has requested legal action against the concerned contractor to prevent further damage to public property.
The post Pune: Power Supply to Aundh, Baner and Mahalunge at Risk Amid Mumbai-Bengaluru Highway Widening appeared first on Punekar News.
