Underground Cabling Project Stalled Amid DPR Delays

Hyderabad: Fatal accidents caused by snapping overhead power cables could be reduced if Telangana’s underground cabling project for Hyderabad’s core urban area progresses, but execution remains stalled due to delays in finalising the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and multi-agency coordination, according to sources.

The state government has granted administrative approval for a Rs.4,100-crore project to convert overhead electricity lines into underground cables in the first phase across the city’s core areas, as part of a larger overhaul proposed by TGSPDCL.

The Phase I covers the Metro Zone within the erstwhile GHMC limits, including Banjara Hills, Secunderabad, Hyderabad Central and Hyderabad South operational circles. The sanctioned scope includes 180 km of 33 kV underground cabling, 2,396 km of 11 kV lines, low-tension networks, installation of 14,051 Ring Main Units (RMUs), and 3,899 km of optical fibre cable under an integrated grid.

Delays stem primarily from the DPR nearing completion and the need for close coordination with multiple agencies — GHMC, Hyderabad Water Board, Traffic Department, and other utilities — for road cutting, trenching, and horizontal directional drilling (HDD) without disrupting traffic. Officials note challenges in executing underground cabling in a congested metro, necessitating careful planning and phased rollout using HDD to minimise traffic disruptions.

The project was earlier envisaged to cover about 1,198 km of 11 kV lines and nearly 4,800 km of low-tension networks in the core area. The broader plan proposes about 27,000 km of underground cabling across the city over four to five years at an estimated cost exceeding Rs.13,500- Rs.14,725 crore. Initial estimates for Phase I ranged between Rs.3,000 crore and Rs.3,400 crore, later revised to Rs.4,100 crore.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has directed that underground cabling in the core urban region be completed within two-and-a-half years. He said the transition would reduce power loss, curb electricity theft, prevent rain-related outages and accidents, and support industrial growth.

Officials have studied models in Bengaluru and other metros to finalise the execution approach. Modelled on the BESCOM initiative, the project targets improved reliability of power supply. The long-term plan includes extending underground cabling across areas within the Outer Ring Road, along with provision for shared underground ducts for telecom operators, T-Fiber and internet service providers on a cost-sharing basis.