Housing societies in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad are significantly cutting electricity costs by adopting rooftop solar systems.

Park Royale in Wakad, with 433 flats, scaled its solar capacity to 172.5 kW, slashing power bills from ₹62 lakh to ₹13.5 lakh annually, including for its sewage treatment plant. Society chairman Manoj Shinkar noted that maintenance charges dropped from ₹3 to ₹2.5 per sq.ft. La Melosa Society saw monthly bills drop to ₹3,500 after installing a 76-kW system, expecting a two-year cost recovery. Smaller societies like Bhagyashree Apartments in Kothrud also fully transitioned to solar, powering all 10 flats. Rising solar adoption is driven by the PM Surya Ghar-Muft Bijli Yojana, offering ₹18,000/kW subsidies for housing societies. Experts recommend the OPEX model for those lacking funds, where third-party vendors install and maintain systems. Solar firms urge simplification of the government portal for better access, as demand continues to surge across Maharashtra.