BEST Plans ₹20 Crore Cable Overhaul to Fix Power Cuts in Dadar and Central Mumbai
On July 3, 2026, the BEST Undertaking announced a ₹20 crore network overhaul to address frequent power cuts in Dadar and other parts of south and central Mumbai by repairing nearly 1,200 underground cable fault locations.
The utility has sought permission from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to dig cement concrete roads to replace ageing cables, many of which are nearly 80 years old. The planned repairs are expected to be carried out in phases over the next six to eight months.
The identified fault locations are spread across key areas including Dadar, Matunga, Sion, Mahim, Wadala, Marine Lines, Girgaum, Bhuleshwar, Kalbadevi, Bhendi Bazaar, Masjid, and Zaveri Bazaar. 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 remain 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.
BEST officials stated that 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.
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, which is 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.
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.
