NEW DELHI: Facing repeated disruptions caused by cable thefts, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has announced a major overhaul of its power infrastructure. The corporation will replace 33-kilovolt copper cables with aluminium wiring across 175 kilometres of its network in a bid to make the system less vulnerable to theft and improve service reliability.
The project, estimated at Rs 32.59 crore, will be carried out over the next 18 months. According to officials, the existing copper cables will be removed and aluminium cables will be installed in a trefoil formation along metro viaducts. The move comes after a sharp rise in thefts targeting copper wiring, which has significant resale value in scrap markets.
The overhaul will focus on the most theft-prone and operationally sensitive stretches of the network. These include sections near the Yamuna Bank line along the riverbed, the Airport Express Line, and parts of the Pink Line near Seelampur and Welcome stations. Officials said these areas have witnessed frequent incidents that disrupted train operations.
As per the official statement of the DMRC, in 2025 alone, 89 cases of cable theft were reported. Of these, 32 involved signalling cables and 22 were related to electrical wiring. One of the most severe incidents occurred in March last year between Seelampur and Welcome stations, when signalling cables were stolen, severely impacting train movement.
Trains were forced to slow down to 25 kmph between Mansarovar Park and Seelampur, creating cascading delays across the Red Line and affecting commuters throughout the day.
More recently, on January 11 this year, nearly 800 metres of signalling cable were cut on the Airport Express Line between Dhaula Kuan and Shivaji Stadium. As a result, trains heading towards New Delhi operated at restricted speeds on the up line, causing inconvenience to passengers. The cut cable pieces were later found lying near metro pillar number 9 during inspection.
“The Delhi Metro network depends on hundreds of kilometres of cables running through elevated viaducts and underground tunnels to power traction, signalling, telecommunications and other essential systems. Any damage to this infrastructure can lead to delays, reduced speeds and operational risks. Repairing or replacing cables during service hours is particularly challenging, given that trains run at intervals of three to five minutes,” read the DMRC’s statement.
Despite implementing several preventive measures last year, including cementing cables in vulnerable areas, installing anti-theft clamps, using concertina coils, covering cable trays, and exploring drone and CCTV surveillance, thefts have continued. By switching to aluminium, which has a significantly lower scrap value than copper, the DMRC hopes to deter theft, sources in the DMRC said.