Chandni Chowk Gets Underground Wiring; CM Rekha Gupta Announces Mandoli Grid and Energy Storage Projects

Delhi unveils a programme combining underground cabling in Chandni Chowk with a new Mandoli grid sub-station and four Battery Energy Storage System projects. The initiative aims to protect heritage areas, improve safety and reliability, and support modernisation of the city’s power supply.

Delhi Chief Minister Smt. Rekha Gupta on 26 February 2026 launched a package of power projects that link heritage protection in Chandni Chowk with upgrades to Delhi’s electricity network. The programme combined underground cabling in the old city, a new Mandoli grid sub-station, and four battery energy storage projects under BSES companies.

The Chief Minister underlined that the initiative would protect historic areas while improving safety, reliability and future capacity across the capital. South Delhi MP Shri Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, Cabinet Minister Shri Ashish Sood, Councillor Suman Gupta and other officials joined the ceremony, reflecting the political focus on long-term planning for supply and infrastructure.

Chandni Chowk underground cabling and Delhi power supply modernisation

The most visible change will occur in Chandni Chowk, where tangled overhead wires across 28 streets are being shifted underground by the Delhi Government and BSES Yamuna Power Limited. The scheme, valued at about ₹159.75 crore, will place nearly 52.5 kilometres of electrical lines below ground while also adding 500 feeder pillars and new decorative lighting poles.

Work in Chandni Chowk will proceed in stages during night hours so that traders and residents face minimal disruption during business time. Around 10,000 power consumers are expected to benefit directly through fewer outages, reduced fire risk and better resilience during storms, while the historic area gains a cleaner, organised streetscape.

Heritage focus of Chandni Chowk plan and Delhi power supply upgrades

Explaining the approach, the Chief Minister stressed that “Chandni Chowk Not Merely a Market, but a Symbol of India's Cultural Heritage: CM”. The long-running presence of overhead cables had affected both the visual character and safety profile of the old city. Officials said the underground design would support tourism and commercial activity together.

Project engineers planned to use modern “digital twin" monitoring for the Chandni Chowk network, creating a virtual replica of assets to support maintenance and fault detection. According to the government, this technology will help track load patterns, plan interventions faster and reduce unplanned disruptions, aligning heritage protection with a data-driven power system.

The Chief Minister described Chandni Chowk’s upgrade as both an electricity project and a heritage initiative that aligns with broader smart infrastructure goals. Authorities expect that better street lighting and tidier streets will support visitors, while safer cabling should reduce accident risk for shopkeepers, residents and tourists who move through the narrow lanes every day.

Mandoli grid, BESS projects and Delhi power supply planning

Away from the old city, the government is building a 66/11 kV GIS grid sub-station at Mandoli with a planned capacity of 63 MVA and a budget close to ₹55.5 crore. The construction window is set at 18 months, after which about 1.5 lakh consumers in North-East Delhi are expected to gain more stable power.

The Mandoli grid will support localities such as Mandoli, Harsh Vihar, Bank Colony and nearby colonies that currently face voltage swings and frequent interruptions. Major institutions including Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital, Mandoli Jail and the DTC electric bus depot will receive firmer supply, which officials expect to translate into fewer operational disruptions and lower backup costs.

Alongside the grid expansion, the Chief Minister laid foundation stones for four Battery Energy Storage System projects operated by BRPL, with a combined output of 55.5 MW / 111 MWh. The sites cover Shivalik, Dwarka (G-5), Dwarka (G-7) and Goyla Khurd, and together are projected to support around 2.22 lakh electricity consumers in South and South-West Delhi.

Planned beneficiaries include about 50,000 consumers in Shivalik, 1,28,000 in Dwarka (G-5), 16,000 in Dwarka (G-7) and 28,000 in Goyla Khurd. All four storage plants are targeted for commissioning before March 2027. Officials expect these units to manage peak-hour load, smooth voltage, and support integration of cleaner energy sources into the grid.

The Chief Minister stated that these modern energy initiatives will ensure uninterrupted, high-quality and future-ready power supply to lakhs of households. They will not only address current requirements but also prepare Delhi for rising demand in the coming years. She described the projects as a significant step towards a clean, smart and sustainable energy ecosystem.

To summarise the main projects announced and their planned impacts, key details are presented below.

Looking at the wider investment picture, Energy Minister Shri Ashish Sood said “Delhi's Power Sector to Emerge as a National Model: Energy Minister Ashish Sood”. The Minister noted that around ₹436 crore had been assigned for underground wiring in Chandni Chowk and several other areas, indicating that the heritage project is part of a broader citywide effort.

The Minister added that a 20 MW BESS project at Kilokri is operating as the country's first commercial standalone storage installation of this scale. With the four new BESS schemes contributing 55 MW of additional storage, authorities expect more stable supply during evening peaks, when demand from households and commercial users typically rises sharply.

Ashish Sood further informed that projects worth ₹3,000 crore pending under Delhi Transco Limited had received approval, while a ₹17,000 crore roadmap for power infrastructure over the next three years had been drawn up. According to the Minister, these measures under Chief Minister Rekha Gupta’s leadership are intended to align capacity additions with projected demand growth.

On the political side, the Chief Minister mentioned that an earlier promise of ₹100 crore for development in Chandni Chowk Lok Sabha constituency could be revised upward to ₹1,000 crore, depending on emerging needs. Redevelopment of 28 roads has already started under the current phase, signalling that the underground cabling is one part of a larger urban upgrade package.

Smt. Rekha Gupta emphasised sustained attention to Old Delhi through continued control of the Shahjahanabad Redevelopment Board. The stated focus includes roads, parking, encroachment removal, public conveniences and wider civic services. Authorities aim to shape the historic district into a more planned, visitor-friendly and commercially active zone with modern infrastructure while maintaining its cultural character.

Officials and ministers framed the combined cabling, grid and storage projects as a coordinated effort rather than isolated works. The data on capacity additions, cost allocations and consumer coverage suggests a strategy that links heritage streets, new residential belts and institutional loads under a single plan for Delhi’s future electricity needs.