Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday, 10 July announced a ₹2,500 crore underground power cabling project for Guwahati, pledging to shift the city's entire overhead electricity distribution network below ground and transform it into what he described as a 'wireless' urban centre. The announcement came on the sidelines of the 2026-27 Assam Budget presentation in the state Assembly.

What the Project Entails

The initiative envisages a phased conversion of Guwahati's overhead electricity grid to an underground cabling system. According to the Budget proposals, the shift is designed to reduce storm-related outages, improve public safety, and enhance the city's visual landscape by eliminating the tangle of overhead poles and wires that currently line its roads.

Sarma said the project would 'significantly strengthen the reliability of power supply while protecting electricity infrastructure from weather-related disruptions' — a recurring problem in Assam during heavy monsoon rains and cyclonic storms.

First Phase: Five Key Corridors Under RDSS

The project will be rolled out in stages. The first phase will be implemented under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), with an initial allocation of ₹200 crore earmarked to cover five major corridors in Guwahati. Depending on outcomes, the underground network will be extended across the city in subsequent phases.

Notably, the phased approach signals a degree of fiscal caution — the full ₹2,500 crore outlay will not be deployed upfront, giving the government scope to assess execution before scaling.

Broader Urban Development Push

Chief Minister Sarma positioned the underground cabling drive as one pillar of a larger metropolitan vision for Guwahati, encompassing transport, energy, urban planning, and digital infrastructure. Removing overhead electric poles, he said, would decongest urban spaces and create safer roads alongside the aesthetic improvement.

The 2026-27 Assam Budget, presented by Finance Minister Jayanta Mallabaruah, places heavy emphasis on infrastructure, with major proposed investments spanning power, connectivity, healthcare, and urban development. The underground cabling project is among the flagship capital expenditure commitments of this cycle.

Why It Matters for Guwahati

Guwahati is one of India's fastest-growing tier-2 cities, with its urban population expanding rapidly and demand for reliable electricity rising in step. Overhead distribution networks in the Northeast are particularly vulnerable to weather disruptions — storms frequently bring down lines, triggering prolonged outages for households, businesses, and public institutions.

This is also not the first time underground cabling has been proposed for Indian cities; several metros including Delhi and Mumbai have undertaken similar projects, with mixed results on timelines and costs. Guwahati's execution record on large infrastructure projects will be closely watched. The government has indicated that the full network expansion will be guided by the performance of the initial five-corridor phase.