South Mumbai Power Crisis: Repeated Outages Expose Ageing Cables And Rising Electricity Demand

Mumbai, June 1: Repeated power outages across South Mumbai over the past two weeks have exposed the growing strain on the city’s ageing electricity infrastructure, leaving thousands of residents and businesses struggling with frequent disruptions.

Areas including Girgaon, Bhuleshwar, Opera House, Thakurdwar, Kalbadevi, Dadar, and Wadala have witnessed multiple outages triggered by cable faults, transformer failures, and rising electricity demand during the ongoing heatwave.

Cable faults and ageing infrastructure under focus

The latest disruption occurred in the early hours of Sunday when electricity supply was interrupted in Girgaon and adjoining localities. BEST engineers restored power gradually by around 11 am after identifying and rectifying a cable fault.

However, officials admitted that the original fault remains difficult to trace as several underground cables pass beneath the suburban railway tracks between Marine Lines and Grant Road. Located nearly 15 feet below ground, these cables are far deeper than standard utility lines and require extensive excavation, railway permissions, and road-digging approvals before repairs can begin.

Residents say the outages have become a daily concern. Apart from darkness and discomfort, many buildings are facing water supply issues as pumps fail to operate during prolonged power cuts.

“We have never experienced such frequent outages in recent years. The impact goes beyond electricity because even water cannot be pumped to overhead tanks,” said Amit Raju, a resident of Girgaon.

Former corporator and Shiv Sena leader Dilip Naik claimed nearly 50,000 consumers in the area have been affected and accused authorities of failing to anticipate rising demand from redevelopment projects and high-rise buildings.

Rising electricity demand adds to pressure

The crisis is not limited to South Mumbai. Last week, faults at the Kingsway Receiving Station in Dadar and a transformer fire at Girgaon Chowpatty disrupted power supply in Dadar, Naigaon, Wadala East, and surrounding areas.

The incidents occurred as Mumbai recorded one of its highest-ever electricity demands, crossing 4,500 MW amid soaring temperatures and widespread use of air conditioners.

Experts believe ageing infrastructure is emerging as a major challenge. Electricity expert Ashok Pendhase said many cables and electrical assets in BEST supply areas are decades old and require urgent replacement.

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BEST officials confirmed that several cables in Girgaon were laid between 1985 and 1990 and are due for replacement. With complaints rising sharply and manpower shortages affecting maintenance work, residents are demanding immediate upgrades before the situation worsens further.

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