Mumbai, April 9 (IANS) The Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Limited (Mahatransco) successfully commissioned its ambitious Babhaleshwar–Kudus 400 kV transmission line on Thursday, strengthening power infrastructure in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).
The newly operational line is expected to enhance the stability, reliability, and efficiency of power supply across Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, and Ahilyanagar districts. The project will help reduce transmission losses by approximately 5 MW and improve voltage levels across the region, said the Mahatransco in a statement.
Importantly, the double-circuit transmission line will enable an additional power transfer capacity of up to 3000 MW, ensuring better management of rising electricity demand in the fast-growing Mumbai region.
Originally approved in 2010 and targeted for completion by 2013, the project faced multiple delays due to technical and administrative challenges. However, with coordinated efforts by various government agencies and expedited governance, the project was finally completed in March 2026.
The project involved the installation of 715 transmission towers across a total line length of approximately 228 km. Of these, 485 towers and 304 circuit km of stringing work were completed under the Nashik division, while 230 towers and 152 circuit km were completed under the Vashi division.
Execution of the project posed several challenges, including obtaining special permissions for passing through the vicinity of the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) in Pune district. Additional hurdles included land compensation issues, forest clearances, right-of-way (RoW) constraints, and logistical challenges in transporting materials. In forested areas, materials had to be transported manually, while in certain sections, work was completed using advanced hotline stringing techniques, said the statement.
The commissioning of this line will reduce the load on the existing Padghe–Babhaleshwar transmission lines and significantly improve overall grid reliability. It will also provide an additional power source to the Kudus substation, helping meet the increasing electricity demand in the Mumbai region.
Mahatransco credited the success of the project to the cooperation and support of local public representatives, revenue authorities, police, and forest departments.
–IANS
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