A major power outage struck Pune’s Hinjewadi IT and industrial zone on Sunday, affecting over 50,000 electricity consumers and disrupting operations at several tech firms and manufacturing units. The incident, which occurred due to a fault in an underground high-voltage cable, exposed the vulnerabilities in urban energy infrastructure and highlighted the need for robust contingency planning in one of Maharashtra’s most vital economic corridors.
According to senior officials at the Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Limited (MSETCL), the fault originated around 2:10 pm on Sunday in the 220 kV Infosys–Pegasus underground line near the Hinjewadi Phase-2 metro station. This resulted in a cascading disruption to power supply lines across Ganeshkhind and Pune Rural divisions, cutting electricity to more than 52,000 low- and high-voltage consumers.
Emergency repair efforts were launched by the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) and MSETCL teams, with phased restoration beginning late Sunday night. By 4 am on Monday, electricity was restored to all low-voltage consumers through alternate supply routes. However, high-voltage and ultra-high-voltage industrial consumers, including top IT firms and manufacturers, continued to face intermittent supply managed on a rotational basis.
Companies affected included major technology and industrial players in the Hinjewadi MIDC zone, among them IBM, Cognizant, Tech Mahindra, and TCS. The IT and commercial clusters in Xrbia Society, Kolte Patil Township, Marunji, and surrounding areas bore the brunt of the disruption. MSEDCL engineers worked overnight under high pressure to restore critical lines, particularly for domestic consumers, who faced up to 20 hours of blackout.
Officials stated that while backup generators supported some commercial operations, full restoration for large-scale high-voltage clients would require further load balancing and operational adjustments. Power supply from the Kolte Patil Township substation resumed for some clients, but load constraints and pending repairs limited full service.
The episode has raised fresh concerns among industrial associations and residents regarding the reliability of the region’s power infrastructure, especially during ongoing expansion of IT parks and smart city projects. Many are calling for faster transition to decentralised and renewable energy models that offer better resilience during technical breakdowns.
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