Palghar, April 9 Mahatransco announced on Thursday that it had commissioned the Babhaleshwar-Kudus 400kV transmission line, which will enhance power stability across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR).
A Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Limited official said that this will improve power supply efficiency in Mumbai, Thane, Palghar, and Nashik districts by reducing transmission losses by approximately 5 MW and significantly improving voltage levels.
It will enable an additional power transfer capacity of up to 3000 MW, ensuring better management of the rapidly increasing electricity demand in the fast-growing Mumbai region, a statement from the state-run utility said.
The project, which involves a total line length of approximately 228 km and the installation of 715 transmission towers, was originally approved in 2010 with a target completion date of 2013, but was delayed by over a decade due to technical and administrative hurdles.
It was finally completed in March 2026 following expedited governance and coordinated efforts by various state agencies, the official said.
"The project faced unique challenges, including obtaining special permissions to pass through the vicinity of the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) in Pune district. Other obstacles included obtaining forest clearances, navigating right-of-way constraints, and dealing with complex land compensation issues. In certain ecologically sensitive forested areas, materials had to be transported manually," the official said.
The new line is expected to alleviate congestion in the existing Padghe-Babhaleshwar transmission corridor and provide a vital additional power source to the Kudus substation, he added.