BEST commences on permanent solution to replace 1950 old cables at Girgaum

Mumbai : Power supply has been restored across several places affected by outages recently in Girgaum, but BEST announced on Wednesday that it is now moving to implement a permanent fix to prevent recurring outages in the area. According to BEST officials, the utility plans to replace ageing underground cables dating back to 1950 by laying new lines on both sides of the railway tracks near Marine Lines station.“The proposal involves digging a 300-metre trench in one ward and a 150-metre trench in another ward. Once the new cables are laid, the two ends will be connected through an existing pipe running beneath the railway tracks,” a senior official said.BEST officials said the work, once permissions are in place, can be completed in four to five days and will eliminate repeated faults linked to the old network.The undertaking is currently awaiting clearance from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) for road digging and trenching. Officials said the trenching and cable replacement is intended as a long-term solution for Girgaum, where residents have faced frequent disruptions over the past two months.BJP member on the BEST committee Akash Purohit said Pathakwadi has been provided additional manpower and vehicles, with round-the-clock support for residents. He added that in the event of a power cut, a two-hour restoration plan is being followed, and senior BEST officials have been camping at Pathakwadi till late night to monitor the situation.The Girgaum plan is part of a wider push across the island city. BEST general manager Sonia Sethi on Tuesday announced a Rs 20-crore action plan aimed at preventing outages and ensuring faster restoration. At the committee meeting, she acknowledged that gaps in recruitment and procurement of materials for cable fault repairs over the past six years contributed to the current situation. The plan includes hiring around 690 field workers, transferring 127 drivers and 100 mechanics from the traffic division, setting up a dedicated call centre, hiring 350 DG sets for emergency supply, adding more emergency vehicles and aerial lifts, and establishing an additional fault control centre at Tardeo.