Agartala to move power lines underground by 2028; free solar for 1.5L homes

Tripura has formally started work on a project to shift Agartala's overhead electricity lines underground, along with a rooftop solar programme meant to give free 1 kW solar systems to about 1.5 lakh low-income households across the state.

Chief Minister Manik Saha and Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath took part in the Bhumi Pujan and foundation ceremony on Thursday, October 29, at the Bardowali Higher Secondary School ground in Agartala. Deputy Speaker Ramprasad Paul and Agartala Mayor Dipak Majumder were also present.

The underground cabling project

The Agartala Underground Cabling Project will gradually replace the overhead high-tension and low-tension distribution lines across the Agartala Municipal Corporation area with underground cables. It is being implemented by the state government and Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited (TSECL), with a completion target of 2028.

The Chief Minister put the allocation for the project at about Rs 1,437 crore. One report, citing the funding mix, gave the cost as Rs 1,151 crore, made up of Rs 131 crore from the state, Rs 495 crore from the Centre and a Rs 525 crore loan from the Asian Development Bank.

According to the government, the network will reduce power cuts caused by trees falling on lines during storms and Kalbaishakhi winds, lower the risk of fires and accidents from snapped wires, and free up road space. A smart control room using smart-grid technology will monitor the network in real time, and horizontal directional drilling will be used to limit digging on city roads.

Free rooftop solar

The second project is a Utility-Led Aggregation (ULA) model under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana. Households using less than 50 units of electricity a month will get 1 kW rooftop solar plants at no installation cost. The programme aims to add about 150 MW of solar capacity in Tripura.

TSECL will run the scheme. The Union Ministry of Power is providing Rs 33,000 per household, with the rest coming from the state budget and ADB assistance. The government plans to enrol the first 1.5 lakh households within six months.

Saha said reliable power was essential to attract investment and support industry, trade, schools and hospitals. The ceremony comes ahead of the urban local body elections due in Tripura in November.