Pune: Various electricity infrastructure projects are underway in Pune city and district by the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL). However, these projects are not being completed within their estimated budgets because the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is charging MSEDCL excessive road-digging fees for laying underground cables.
At a meeting of the District Electricity Monitoring Committee, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister & Pune District's Guardian Minister Ajit Pawar directed PMC to follow the same road-digging fee structure as the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC), which is based on government-set rules.
The meeting was held on Saturday afternoon at the Circuit House auditorium, chaired by DCM Ajit Pawar. The meeting was attended by MLC Yogesh Tilekar, MLAs Sharad Sonawane, Babaji Kale, Shankar Mandekar, Shankar Jagtap, Siddharth Shirole, Chetan Tupe and Bapusaheb Pathare. Also present were Pune District Collector Jitendra Dudi, Pune Municipal Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram, Zilla Parishad CEO Gajanan Patil, Pune Rural Superintendent of Police Sandeep Singh Gill, MIDC Regional Officer Archana Pathare, PCMC Additional Commissioner Pradeep Jambhale-Patil, MSEDCL Chief Engineers Sunil Kakde and Dharmaraj Pethkar, and MahaTransco Superintendent Engineer Vitthal Bhujbal, among others.
At the meeting, MSEDCL gave a presentation on ongoing projects in the district under schemes like RDSS, PM Suryaghar, Mukhyamantri Saur Krishi Vahini Yojana, and works funded by the District Development Fund. Under the RDSS scheme, a fund of ₹178 crore has been sanctioned to strengthen electricity lines. This includes setting up 11 new substations and expanding the capacity of 17 substations in the district. To reduce distribution losses, 1,320 km of high-voltage lines will be laid underground in Pune city, and 146 new transformers will be installed. For rural areas, a fund of ₹505 crore has been allocated for 2,408 km of high-voltage and 2,064 km of low-voltage lines, in addition to installing 2,984 new distribution transformers.
The Guardian Minister was informed that the underground cable work, which is a major part of the RDSS scheme, is being delayed due to the high digging fees. In response, Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar directed the PMC Commissioner to adopt the PCMC's method for charging digging fees. PCMC charges a supervision fee of ₹100 per meter, with MSEDCL responsible for repairing the dug-up road. PMC, however, charges ₹6,600 per meter, which includes the cost of road repair.
Last year, the District Development Fund proposed an allocation of ₹40 crore for MSEDCL, of which ₹21 crore has been received. For the current financial year 2025-26, MSEDCL has submitted a proposal for ₹94 crore from the District Development Fund.
Expedite the PM-Suryaghar Scheme
So far, 20,076 consumers in Pune district have benefited from the Prime Minister's Suryaghar Free Electricity Scheme, with a total installed capacity of about 94 megawatts. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar urged MSEDCL to speed up this scheme, promote it, and encourage more consumers to take advantage of it.
Directives to MahaTransco to Immediately Start Substation Work
In Pune district, 11 extra-high-voltage substations of MahaTransco have been approved, with another 11 proposed. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar directed Vitthal Bhujbal, the MahaTransco Superintendent Engineer, to immediately begin work on the approved substations and complete them on time.
