Hinjawadi Blackout: 26 Hours of Darkness in Pune’s IT Hub Sparks Public Outrage

Hinjawadi, 7th July 2025: Once hailed as Pune’s Silicon Valley, Hinjawadi is now at the centre of a spiralling infrastructure crisis, with residents and businesses reeling under a complete blackout lasting over 26 hours. What began as scheduled maintenance has snowballed into one of the longest and most disruptive power outages in the area’s recent memory, sparking anger, despair, and a flurry of social media backlash.

The Marunji-Hinjawadi region, home to massive residential complexes, top IT firms, and industrial units, was plunged into darkness on the morning of July 6 after a critical underground power line failed post-maintenance. The 220 kV Infosys-Pegasus underground line, maintained by Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Limited (MahaTransco), suffered a breakdown just hours after it was brought back online following routine work.

Despite promises of swift restoration, residents are still waiting, with no clear timeline or accountability from the authorities.
“No Power. No Updates. No Accountability.”
Social media erupted as furious citizens took to Twitter to voice their frustration:
Hrishikesh Kolhe tweeted, “Complete blackout in Marunji since 10:00 am on 6/7/25. It has now been more than 26 hrs of complete blackout here in Marunji, Hinjewadi. No update from @MSEDCL whatsoever.”

Sejal Bhatia expressed her outrage, saying, “Wow, 24+ hours of power outage in India’s ‘Silicon Valley’ – Hinjewadi! No electricity, no updates, no accountability. Roads are a mess, infrastructure is a joke, and now even power is a luxury? Bravo @CMOMaharashtra!”

Jayant, another affected resident, added, “There is no electricity for more than 24 hours in Pune Hinjewadi Mann area. Long hours of power outage is a norm in this area for the last several years.”

Vijay Choudhary described the crisis as “shameful neglect of a vital economic zone,” highlighting that homes, schools, and businesses had come to a standstill.
“A Joke on the Concept of a Smart City”
Despite being a focal point of Pune’s Smart City ambitions, Hinjawadi continues to suffer from crumbling infrastructure—be it poor roads, inadequate drainage, or now, a critical power failure that has exposed the fragility of its backbone.
Industrial and IT Sector Hit Hard
The Forum for IT Employees (FITE) confirmed that 90–100 industries were informed that high-tension (HT) power may not be restored until Wednesday. With no immediate fix in sight, many companies are switching to backup power or forced to give employees work-from-home options.

FITE said, “Residential supply is partially restored in some Phase 2 and 3 areas. For the rest, there’s no fixed ETA. It’s up to companies now to manage operations.”
Authorities Scramble Amid Mounting Pressure
MSEDCL officials claim that more than 63 MW of load is being diverted through alternative lines in what they termed “war-like efforts” to restore supply. But for citizens suffering through a second day without power, such assurances feel hollow.

But with little transparency, no public briefing, and no explanation for the fund utilisation or prior preparedness, trust in the administration continues to erode.
Calls for Accountability
Residents are now demanding:
Immediate restoration of power with regular updates.
Audit of maintenance work that led to the breakdown.
Accountability from PMC and MSEDCL officials.
Long-term infrastructure upgrades to prevent such failures in Pune’s primary tech corridor.
As one resident summed it up:
“We work for global tech giants but live with third-world infrastructure. If Hinjawadi can’t be kept running, what hope does the rest of Pune have?”

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