Waste Fire Disrupts Power Supply to 16,000 Consumers in Tathawade, Punawale
Underground 22kV cables damaged near Walhekarwadi temple; MSEDCL teams work to restore electricity
PIMPRI-CHINCHWAD: Electricity supply to around 15,000 to 16,000 consumers in Tathawade and Punawale was disrupted on Monday after underground power cables were damaged in a fire reportedly caused by waste burning near Mahadev Temple in Walhekarwadi.
According to the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL), the incident occurred at around 3.30 pm near the flyover. An unidentified person allegedly set waste on fire, damaging both the main and backup 22-kilovolt (kV) incoming cables supplying the TACO-1 and TACO-2 lines.
The damage affected 11kV power lines connected to the 22/11kV Benchmark and Pethkar substations, leaving consumers in areas west of the Pune–Mumbai highway without electricity.
The situation became more challenging as both the primary and alternate incoming cables were damaged, limiting the options available to MSEDCL for restoring the supply through an alternative route.
Technical teams from the electricity distribution company are working to repair the damaged underground cables and reconnect the affected power lines. MSEDCL has said that every effort is being made to restore electricity as soon as possible and has appealed to residents to remain patient and cooperate until repair work is completed.
MSEDCL Appeals Against Waste Burning
Warning residents about the risks, MSEDCL said fires near underground power cables, high-voltage lines and electrical installations can cause extensive infrastructure damage and disrupt electricity supply across large residential areas.
The utility has urged citizens not to burn waste near power infrastructure and to ensure its proper disposal. It also appealed to residents to exercise caution and help prevent such incidents, which can cause widespread inconvenience and damage to the electricity network.
The incident highlights how careless waste disposal and burning can trigger power outages affecting thousands of households.
Clarify the outage figure consistently
Tighten the report for digital readers
Strengthen the attribution around the fire
