Delhi govt plans to shift overhead wires underground in markets

The Delhi government is planning to target key marketplaces in the next phase of its project of shifting overhead power cables underground, with an aim to improve aesthetics, officials said on Wednesday.

The pilot project was launched in July by Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta at the BH Block in her Shalimar Bagh constituency. The project will be completed in three months at Rs 8 crore. The project is also happening in a residential area of Janakpuri.

“We have started the project in two residential areas. Now we plan to execute the project in market areas. This will help improve the aesthetics and also reduce the dangers posed by the dangling wires,” an official said.

However, the work is easier said than done. The official said that the execution of the project poses a challenge, especially in hustling and bustling market areas.

“Markets witness high footfalls. If we start digging around the markets for laying the wires, traders will oppose the move saying it will impact their business. The project can be carried out in markets that are less congested or are being built afresh,” he added.

The official said that at present, the possibility of the project happening in Chandni Chowk or Karol Bagh is low since they witness high influx of crowd.

Also Read: Muzaffar Ali: The poet of cinema who painted Umrao Jaan with patience and pain

“We will identify markets where the project can be carried out on a pilot basis. For that, we will hold talks with market associations to bring them on board,” the official said.

The government has so received about 30-40 requests from MLAs for shifting overhead power cables underground. However, in residential areas, priority is being given to localities where the danger posed by dangling wires was maximum.

The Delhi government has allocated Rs 100 crore for the project in its budget for 2025-26.

Gupta has many times spoken about the hazards posed by such wires.

“In villages, rural pockets of Delhi and in our markets, one can see a web of overhead wires. Many a times incidents happen, fires happen and there is loss of life and property,” she ha said.