Mumbai, July 3, 2026: Facing growing public anger over frequent power cuts, the BEST Undertaking has identified nearly 1,200 underground cable fault locations across south and central Mumbai that require urgent repairs.
The utility has sought permission from the BMC to dig cement concrete roads to replace ageing cables, many of which are nearly 80 years old. The repairs are expected to be carried out in phases over the next six to eight months as BEST prepares a Rs 20 crore network overhaul.
Ageing Network Needs Repairs
The identified fault locations are spread across key areas including Marine Lines, Girgaum, Bhuleshwar, Kalbadevi, Bhendi Bazaar, Masjid, Matunga, Sion, Mahim, Wadala, Zaveri Bazaar and Dadar. These areas fall within the A, B, C, D and E municipal wards, where BEST supplies electricity to around 10.5 lakh consumers.
According to officials, faults have already been detected at these locations, but repairs have remained pending because the utility has not received permission to excavate cement concrete roads.
"We have had discussions with the BMC to allow us to dig concrete roads, for which permissions are not provided. Unless that happens, it is difficult to repair the faults," a BEST official said.
Unlike asphalt roads, cement concrete roads require multiple approvals before excavation. Officials said only small stretches of about three to five metres would be dug at each location to remove damaged cables and install new ones. The work will be carried out in phases and is expected to take six to eight months.
BEST officials said the ageing underground cable network has become increasingly vulnerable due to rising electricity demand, repeated heatwaves, monsoon-related waterlogging and rapid redevelopment across the island city.
Upgrade Plan To Improve Reliability
The undertaking is currently handling more than 2,500 pending complaints related to cable faults and other technical issues. So far this year, around 7,500 power-related complaints have been received—nearly 1,000 more than during the same period last year.
In many cases, engineers have restored supply by diverting electricity through alternate cable networks from nearby substations. While this provides temporary relief, it puts additional load on healthy cables and leaves the original faults unresolved.
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To strengthen maintenance work, BEST has approved the recruitment of around 690 field workers for cable fault detection and repairs. It will also temporarily deploy 127 drivers and 100 mechanics from its transport wing to support electricity operations.
Officials say the planned repairs and network upgrade are aimed at reducing recurring outages and improving the reliability of power supply for lakhs of consumers across south and central Mumbai.
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