Power Line Proximity Check for Any Plot in India

Is this plot inside the Right of Way corridor of a high-tension line, or does a line or substation sit on it? Voltage classification, CEA corridor status, and grid connectivity signal — for any location in India.

Why power grid proximity is a dual signal

A high-tension line near your plot can mean two opposite things: good grid connectivity, or a Right of Way restriction on construction. This tool reports both.

The concern side: the Right of Way corridor

Every transmission line carries a Right of Way corridor — the strip of land below and beside it kept clear so the line can be operated and maintained. Its width is set by voltage in the Central Electricity Authority (Measures relating to Safety and Electric Supply) Regulations: 7 m at 11 kV, 27 m at 132 kV, 35 m at 220 kV, 52 m at 400 kV, up to 85 m at 765 kV. Because those regulations are made under the Electricity Act 2003, a central act, the same widths apply in every state.

Inside the corridor, no building-plan approval is possible. The tool also flags the stronger case separately — a line that actually crosses the plot, or a plot that lies inside a substation boundary. The corridor is not always demarcated on the ground, and many buyers discover the restriction only at the building plan approval stage, so being inside it is a constraint to settle with the utility before buying.

The opportunity side: grid connectivity

A plot adjacent to or near a high-tension line has a significant advantage for power-intensive uses. Industrial facilities, cold chains, data centres, EV charging hubs, and commercial complexes that require dedicated HT connections benefit from proximity to existing infrastructure — it reduces both the capital cost of the grid connection (shorter line length) and the time to energisation. In rural and peri-urban India, the presence of a 33 kV or 66 kV line within 1–2 km of a plot often determines whether power can be connected within months or years.

Substations: the strongest grid signal

An electrical substation within 2 km is the clearest indicator of grid infrastructure maturity. Substations are where voltage is stepped down for distribution. A nearby substation means: reliable grid connection available, shorter distribution cable run, lower voltage drop, and typically faster sanction for new connections. For industrial and commercial land acquisition, substation proximity is a due-diligence checklist item — not just a nice-to-have.

What the result card shows

Four signals plus a map of all HT infrastructure within range, colour-coded by voltage.

Nearest HT line

Distance in metres to the closest high-tension line of any voltage level. Inside that voltage’s Right of Way corridor, a restriction flag is raised — and a line actually crossing the plot is flagged on its own.

Note: Distance is measured to the nearest point on the line geometry — not to the nearest tower, which can be farther away.

Voltage classification

The voltage level of the nearest line — 11 kV, 33 kV, 66 kV, 132 kV, 220 kV, or 400 kV. Higher voltage means a wider Right of Way corridor but also a stronger grid infrastructure signal.

Example: A 400 kV POWERGRID inter-state line has a 52 m Right of Way corridor. A 33 kV urban distribution feeder has 15 m.

Right of Way corridor

Whether the plot falls inside the line’s Right of Way corridor — the strip kept clear either side of it, sized by voltage in the Central Electricity Authority regulations: 7 m at 11 kV up to 85 m at 765 kV. The tool separately flags the stronger case, where a line actually crosses the plot or the plot lies inside a substation boundary.

Watch out: A 400 kV line 35 m away is inside its 52 m corridor, even though it sounds far. The corridor follows the OSM-tagged voltage — verify the voltage with the utility before acting.

Nearest substation

Distance to the nearest electrical substation of any type — transmission (220/400 kV), sub-transmission (66/132 kV), or distribution (33/11 kV). A substation within 2 km is a strong grid-readiness signal.

Best for: Industrial, commercial, data centre, and EV infrastructure siting — where grid connection cost and speed are critical inputs.

Right of Way corridor widths — CEA regulations

Total corridor width, centred on the line, that is kept clear for its operation and maintenance. The same widths apply in every state; what varies is compensation and any urban relaxation.

Voltage level	Right of Way corridor	Grid function
765 kV	64–85 m (by tower configuration)	National transmission (POWERGRID)
400 kV	52 m	Inter-state transmission (POWERGRID)
220 kV	35 m	State transmission grid
132 kV	27 m	Regional sub-transmission
110 kV	22 m	Regional sub-transmission
66 kV	18 m	District distribution
33 kV	15 m	Urban feeder distribution
11 kV	7 m	Local last-mile distribution

Source: Central Electricity Authority (Measures relating to Safety and Electric Supply) Regulations, made under the Electricity Act 2003. Confirm the exact corridor with the transmission utility before any construction.

How the analysis works

One PostGIS query. No external API. All power infrastructure pre-loaded — results in under 200 ms.

You mark the site

Draw the plot boundary, drop a pin, or type an address. We extract the centroid and run a spatial query against all mapped HT lines and substations within 10 km.

We find the nearest line and substation

HT lines are stored as line geometries in PostGIS. Distance is measured to the nearest point on the line — not to the nearest tower. The voltage tag sets the Right of Way corridor width, and we compare your distance against it to set the corridor flag — and separately check whether a line crosses the plot or the plot sits inside a substation.

You see a voltage-coded map and four signals

All HT lines within range are rendered on the map colour-coded by voltage level. Substations are shown as square markers. The result card shows the corridor status, voltage, and grid connectivity signal alongside the map.

Methodology and data sources

All data pre-loaded in PostGIS. No external API calls at query time.

Data source: OpenStreetMap

OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL licence), snapshot 2024. High-voltage transmission lines (132 kV and above) are comprehensively mapped across India. Urban distribution lines (33 kV and below) have good coverage in cities; rural coverage is variable. Some recently commissioned lines and private industrial feeders may not yet appear.

OpenStreetMap contributorsODbL licenceSnapshot 2024CEA (Measures relating to Safety and Electric Supply) Regulations

Classification logic

Voltage classification uses the OSM voltage tag on power=line ways. Where multiple voltages are tagged on the same physical line (common for multi-circuit towers), the highest voltage is used for the corridor calculation — conservative approach. Substations are identified via power=substation nodes and ways.

Limitations

OSM voltage completeness: Approximately 30–40% of OSM power line ways in India lack a voltage tag. For untagged lines, voltage is estimated from the line’s role in the network topology — this estimate may be wrong. Verify with DISCOM.
No official RoW boundary data: The statutory Right of Way boundary is not publicly available as GIS data. This tool applies the CEA corridor width for the line’s voltage, centred on the mapped line — the notified boundary on the ground may differ.
Underground cables: Underground HV cables do not appear on OSM maps as clearly as overhead lines. If your plot is in a dense urban area, underground cables (which carry no overhead restriction) may exist but not be shown.
Private and industrial feeders: Lines supplying industrial estates, SEZs, and private captive power users are rarely mapped in OSM and are not included in this analysis.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I build under or near a high-tension power line?

Not inside the line’s Right of Way corridor. Under the Central Electricity Authority (Measures relating to Safety and Electric Supply) Regulations, the corridor below and beside a line is kept clear for its operation and maintenance, and no building-plan approval is possible inside it. The width scales with voltage — 7 m at 11 kV, 27 m at 132 kV, 35 m at 220 kV, 52 m at 400 kV, up to 85 m at 765 kV. Outside the corridor you can usually build, but confirm with the utility first.

What is the Right of Way corridor width for each voltage?

Right of Way corridor widths, per the Central Electricity Authority (Measures relating to Safety and Electric Supply) Regulations: 7 m at 11 kV, 15 m at 33 kV, 18 m at 66 kV, 22 m at 110 kV, 27 m at 132 kV, 35 m at 220 kV, 52 m at 400 kV, and 64–85 m at 765 kV depending on tower configuration. These regulations are made under the Electricity Act 2003, a central act, so the same widths apply in every state — what varies is compensation and any urban relaxation. This tool applies the corridor for the nearest line’s voltage; where the voltage is untagged it assumes 30 m.

Do HT lines affect health for people living nearby?

The scientific consensus on EMF health effects from power lines at typical setback distances is inconclusive. ICNIRP guidelines — which India follows — set reference levels for public exposure that are not exceeded at standard clearance distances. However, many buyers and lenders treat HT line proximity as a negative factor regardless of regulatory status, which can affect resale value and mortgage eligibility.

Is a substation nearby a problem or a benefit?

Primarily a benefit. A nearby substation indicates grid infrastructure maturity — reliable supply, shorter distribution run, faster connection sanction, and lower voltage drop. For industrial, commercial, or data centre use, substation proximity is a key siting advantage. Substations are not subject to the same setback rules as overhead lines, though local planning rules may apply near high-voltage transmission substations.

The voltage shown seems wrong for the line near my plot. Why?

OSM voltage data is contributed by mappers and may be incomplete or outdated. Approximately 30–40% of power line ways in India lack a voltage tag — in these cases we estimate voltage from the line’s network role, which may be incorrect. For any construction decision near an HT line, verify the actual voltage with your local DISCOM or by contacting POWERGRID for transmission lines.

Where does this data come from?

Power infrastructure boundaries are from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL licence). High-voltage transmission lines (132 kV and above) are comprehensively mapped. Distribution lines have good urban coverage but variable rural coverage. For definitive records and the official RoW boundary, contact your state electricity distribution company (DISCOM) or POWERGRID.