The Gujarat Cabinet on Wednesday (June 3, 2026) granted in-principle approval to the ambitious ‘Gujarat Wire-Free City Mission’, a statewide initiative aimed at shifting overhead electricity distribution lines underground across urban areas by 2030.
Announcing the decision after the Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, government spokesperson and Minister Jitu Vaghani said the project is aligned with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of developing smart, green and resilient cities.
Under the mission, all 17 municipal corporations and 151 municipalities in Gujarat will be covered in a phased manner. The State Government has approved an initial allocation of ₹500 crore for the first phase of implementation.
According to the government, the project will involve the undergrounding of more than 14,600 circuit kilometres of high-tension (HT) overhead power lines and over 31,400 circuit kilometres of low-tension (LT) distribution lines across urban areas.
The first phase will focus on converting existing 11 kV overhead electricity lines into underground cable networks. The undergrounding of low-tension distribution lines will be taken up subsequently in a phased manner.
Officials said the initiative is expected to improve urban aesthetics while enhancing public safety and strengthening the resilience of power infrastructure against natural disasters such as cyclones and heavy storms.
Mr. Vaghani said underground cabling would significantly reduce incidents of snapped wires, short circuits and power disruptions caused by extreme weather events. The shift is also expected to lower technical faults and improve the reliability and quality of electricity supply to consumers.
The government believes the project will contribute to the creation of safer and more efficient urban environments while modernising Gujarat’s power distribution infrastructure.
Describing the initiative as a transformative undertaking, Vaghani said the Gujarat Wire-Free City Mission goes beyond a conventional power infrastructure upgrade and represents a long-term effort to build smarter, cleaner and safer cities across the state.
The government aims to complete the transition to underground power distribution networks in all urban local bodies by the end of the decade, he added.
Published - June 04, 2026 12:14 am IST
Source: The Hindu - India News
