The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) has locked horns with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) as well as the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) on the matter.

Under the assumption that MSEDCL would incur the expenditure, the PMC and PCMC had carried out road development work in record time for the Games. They shifted electricity poles and and laid down underground cables on their own to avoid any delay. But the MSEDCL is refusing to foot the bill.

The issue cropped up on Sunday at a meeting of the Pune District Electricity Coordination Committee, where State Energy Minister Dilip Walse-Patil ruled out MSEDCL paying up.

Seconding his view at the council hall, Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar said, “MSEDCL cannot incur the cost of laying electric cables for work undertaken by the civic body. It is not possible for MSEDCL to pay PMC and PCMC because other local bodies will follow suit and the electricity company cannot afford such bills.”

The issue was raised by BJP legislator Girish Bapat who commended the work of laying underground cables in place of overhead wires keeping safety in view.

PMC Commissioner Praveensinh Pardeshi said no funds were allotted for underground electricity cables in projects under JNNURM and the expenses were too high to be borne by the civic body. “The laying of cables is MSEDCL’s responsibility. They should at least share the expense with the civic body,” he said.

PCMC Commissioner Ashish Sharma said PCMC had to pay Rs 75 crore just for laying underground cables on a road construction project for which Rs 200 crore had been allotted under JNNURM. He added that it was not viable for the civic body to spend such a big amount on cables when there was no provision of funds from the Union government.

The state energy minister said is MSEDCL bears the expenses, other civic bodies would seek the same. “MSEDCL is now a company and cannot afford to pay local civic bodies for such work,” he said and added, “The MSEDCL had considered the demand as a special case and offered to share 50 per cent of the expenses. But it did not receive any response from both the civic bodies.”

Pawar has directed the officials of MSEDCL, PMC and PCMC to hold a meeting soon to resolve the issue.