By The initiatives are designed to address two key challenges: power disruptions caused by storms and damage to overhead lines, and the need to make clean energy more accessible to economically weaker families. Saha laid the foundation stone for the cabling project and inaugurated the Utility-Led Aggregation (ULA) initiative under the rooftop solar programme at a ceremony held at Bardowali Higher Secondary School.
₹1,437 Crore to Modernise Agartala’s Power Network
The underground cabling project will replace overhead electricity distribution lines across the Agartala Municipal Corporation area with underground cables. According to Saha, the work is targeted for completion by 2028, with three agencies assigned to execute the project.
Moving power lines underground is expected to reduce outages caused by falling trees and storm damage, while also lowering fire risks and improving public safety. The project will incorporate smart-grid technology and a dedicated smart control room to monitor the electricity network in real time.
Modern Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) technology will also be used to limit road excavation. This approach is intended to reduce disruption to traffic and minimise inconvenience for residents and commuters while underground infrastructure is installed.
Rooftop Solar Programme to Cover 1.5 Lakh Households
Alongside the cabling project, Saha announced plans to install 1-kilowatt rooftop solar systems at the homes of 1.5 lakh families that consume less than 50 units of electricity per month. The installations are expected to add around 150 megawatts of solar power capacity.
The programme will operate under the Pradhan Mantri Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana through the Utility-Led Aggregation model. The state government will cover the installation costs through the Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited (TSECL), with support from the Central government and the Asian Development Bank.
Each beneficiary will be required to deposit a refundable security amount of ₹1,000. The Union Ministry of Power will provide a subsidy of ₹33,000 for each installation.
Free Electricity and Long-Term Maintenance
TSECL will be responsible for maintaining the rooftop solar systems for the first 10 years. During this period, participating households are expected to receive approximately 100 units of free electricity each month, according to the announcement.
After the 10-year maintenance period, ownership of the solar installations will be transferred to the respective households.
The programme is intended to help low-consumption families benefit from solar power without having to bear the full upfront cost of installing the systems themselves.
Government Highlights Wider Power Infrastructure Push
Saha said the state government had spent the past eight years working to expand and modernise Tripura’s electricity infrastructure. These efforts, he noted, include developing substations, strengthening transmission and distribution lines, and installing transformers to improve the power network.
The latest projects combine upgrades to conventional electricity distribution with a push towards household-level renewable energy, marking a broader effort to improve the reliability and accessibility of power across Tripura.
Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath, Agartala Municipal Corporation Mayor and MLA Dipak Majumder, Deputy Speaker Ramprasad Paul, MP Rajib Bhattacharjee and MLA Meenarani Sarkar attended the event. Power Department Secretary Abhishek Singh delivered the welcome address, while TSECL Managing Director Biswajit Basu proposed the vote of thanks.
