Gujarat plans wire-free cities by 2030, power lines to go underground across urban areas

Gujarat has approved a statewide mission to move urban power lines underground by 2030. The phased project aims to improve power reliability and safety while making cities less cluttered.

In Short

• Gujarat plans to shift all urban power lines underground by 2030
• State Cabinet approves Gujarat Wire-Free City Mission with Rs 500 crore funding
• Over 46,000 circuit km of overhead lines to be converted in phases

Overhead electricity wires could become a thing of the past in Gujarat's cities by the end of this decade.

The Gujarat government has approved an ambitious plan to shift power distribution infrastructure underground across all urban areas in the state by 2030. Under the newly approved Gujarat Wire-Free City Mission, the existing overhead power network in cities and towns will be converted into an underground cable system in a phased manner.

The decision was cleared by the state Cabinet and will cover all 17 municipal corporations and 151 municipalities in Gujarat, making it one of the largest urban power infrastructure projects undertaken by any state government in the country.

State government spokesperson and minister Jitu Vaghani announced that Gujarat aims to transform all urban centres into "wire-free cities" by 2030. As part of the first phase, the state government has approved Rs 500 crore for the project.

WHAT THE PROJECT INVOLVES

The plan goes far beyond simply removing visible power lines.

According to details shared by the government, more than 14,600 circuit kilometres of high-tension overhead lines and over 31,400 circuit kilometres of low-tension overhead lines will eventually be shifted underground across the state. In total, more than 46,000 circuit kilometres of electricity distribution lines are expected to be covered under the mission.

The first phase will focus on converting existing 11 kV overhead power lines into underground cable networks. Low-tension distribution lines will be shifted underground in later phases.

WHY GUJARAT WANTS TO MOVE POWER LINES UNDERGROUND

The government says the move is aimed at improving the reliability and safety of electricity supply while also improving the appearance of cities.

Underground cabling is expected to reduce incidents of snapped wires, short circuits and power disruptions that often occur during heavy rains, storms and other extreme weather events. Officials believe the new system will also help reduce technical faults and improve the quality of power supply for consumers.

The proposal comes as Gujarat continues efforts to make urban infrastructure more resilient against natural disasters. The state has previously undertaken projects to replace overhead electricity lines in vulnerable areas after cyclones and severe weather events caused damage to power infrastructure.

A BIG URBAN INFRASTRUCTURE PUSH

Beyond improving power supply, the project is also expected to change the look of Gujarat's cities.

Overhead power cables, poles and hanging wires have long been a common feature of urban landscapes across India. By moving these networks underground, the state hopes to create cleaner and less cluttered cityscapes while modernising critical infrastructure.

Officials described the mission as a step towards building smarter, safer and more resilient urban centres. The initiative is expected to be implemented in phases over the next four years, with the goal of making all urban areas wire-free by 2030.

If completed on schedule, Gujarat could become one of the first states in India to undertake a statewide conversion of urban overhead power distribution lines into underground cable networks.

- Ends