{
  "id": 16117995,
  "title": "Mumbai: BEST Plans ₹200-Crore Overhaul To Replace 300 Km Of Ageing Power Cables By 2029",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/22/mumbai-best-plans-200-crore-overhaul-to-replace-300-km-of-ageing",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-22T22:06:37.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Free Press Journal",
    "slug": "free-press-journal",
    "url": "https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/mumbai-best-plans-200-crore-overhaul-to-replace-300-km-of-ageing-power-cables-by-2029"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Mumbai's ageing electricity cable network, spanning 300 km and some sections dating back 70-80 years, requires replacement, a task estimated to cost ₹200 crore by 2029. This need has been underscored by a fire incident in Bhuleshwar sparked by a suspected short circuit, highlighting the risks associated with outdated infrastructure. BEST, the city's power provider, has initiated a tender process to replace the aging cables, with completion anticipated by 2029. The project is expected to span two to three years, with work likely to commence by December or early January 2027. The immediate challenge lies in accessing the cables beneath roads, particularly in areas where recent BMC road projects have been completed. BEST has sought the BMC's permission to excavate these roads to repair the damaged cables and temporary wiring. The replacement process will require digging up stretches of 3-5 meters at individual locations to replace the damaged cables and temporary wiring. BEST is considering compensating the BMC at approximately ₹10,000 per meter for the road excavation. The scale of the problem is further evident in the 7,500 power-related complaints recorded by BEST this year, nearly 1,000 more than in 2024, with over 2,500 complaints involving cable faults and other technical issues still unresolved. The strain on the network is exacerbated by rising demand, heatwaves, monsoon waterlogging, and rapid redevelopment, making the replacement of the ageing cables a necessity to reduce outages and fire risks.",
  "summary": "Mumbai, October 22: Nearly 300 km of the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport (BEST) Undertaking’s underground electricity cable network, with several sections dating back 70–80 years, needs replacement, exposing the risks posed by ageing infrastructure in the city. A fire triggered by a suspected short circuit in Bhuleshwar on Thursday has once again drawn attention to the deteriorating…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}