Drive through rural India—from Vidarbha’s cotton belt to the paddy fields of eastern Uttar Pradesh—and you will notice tall transmission towers cutting across fertile land. For many farmers, these structures raise immediate concerns: Will crops grow? Will yields fall? Will land lose value? Yet for a country striving to balance food security with energy security, the question is not whether transmission lines should cross farmland, but how intelligently they can coexist with it.
India is at a critical juncture. As the nation pushes towards 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030 and electrification deepens across sectors, transmission infrastructure has become indispensable. Renewable energy projects are often located in remote regions, far from demand centres. Transmission lines act as the silent enablers of India’s energy transition. Inevitably, they pass through agricultural landscapes—home to nearly half of India’s workforce.
Contrary to popular perception, transmission lines do not spell the end of farming activity.
Farming Beneath the Wires
One of the least understood facts is that transmission projects do not involve blanket land acquisition. Only the small patches where towers stand—often less than 1% of the total corridor—are permanently occupied. The rest of the land between towers remains fully cultivable.
Across several states, farmers continue to grow wheat, paddy, mustard, pulses like gram and arhar, vegetables such as potato, onion and tomato, and oilseeds under transmission lines without any reduction in yield. In Punjab and Haryana, for instance, wheat–paddy cycles continue uninterrupted beneath 400 kV and 765 kV lines. In Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, soybean and cotton fields stretch freely between towers.
Tall crops and permanent tree plantations are restricted directly below conductors for safety reasons, but this still leaves a wide basket of crops viable. Farmers in Rajasthan grow cumin, coriander and isabgol under transmission corridors, while in eastern India, jute and seasonal vegetables thrive beneath overhead lines.
Allied Agricultural Activities: Untapped Potential
Beyond traditional cropping, transmission corridors are increasingly being used for allied agricultural activities that supplement farm income.
In parts of Karnataka and Telangana, farmers have adopted beekeeping under transmission lines. The open corridor space, combined with flowering crops like mustard and sunflower nearby, creates ideal conditions for honey production—without any interference from the overhead infrastructure.
Similarly, shade-tolerant crops such as turmeric, ginger, aloe vera and fodder grass are being cultivated under lines in select pockets. In peri-urban areas, farmers have experimented with floriculture, growing marigold and chrysanthemums that do not exceed height limits.
Some progressive farmers have even converted corridor land into nurseries, growing saplings for horticulture and forestry departments—turning a perceived restriction into a business opportunity.
Infrastructure Designed Around Agriculture
Modern transmission planning increasingly respects agricultural realities. Tower heights are customised to allow the movement of tractors, harvesters and irrigation equipment. In intensively farmed belts, taller towers ensure that mechanised farming continues without obstruction.
Construction methods have also evolved. Advanced stringing techniques reduce crop damage, while topsoil—crucial for productivity—is carefully preserved and restored after work is completed. In many cases, farming resumes within the same agricultural season
Designing lines that respect land
The most visible changes lie in design. New-generation transmission towers require far less ground area than older lattice structures. Compact foundations and monopole designs allow farmers to cultivate almost the entire plot, leaving only a small, clearly defined area unusable.
Longer conductor spans are reducing the number of towers needed across fields, preserving large contiguous stretches of farmland. Higher conductor clearances ensure that tractors, irrigation systems and harvesting equipment can operate freely beneath the lines.
In many areas, farmers now grow crops right up to the base of towers. Grazing continues uninterrupted. What once felt like permanent land loss is increasingly a manageable adjustment.
Compensation and Confidence
Coexistence, however, is not only about engineering—it is about trust. Farmers must be fairly and promptly compensated for tower footing land and crop loss during construction. Encouragingly, several transmission developers now offer compensation above statutory norms, including one-time settlements, annuity-based payments, or market-linked rates.
Where compensation is timely and communication is clear, resistance reduces dramatically. Farmers are more willing to cooperate when they see tangible respect for their livelihood.
Powering Rural Prosperity
Transmission lines do more than carry electricity; they enable rural transformation. Reliable power supports micro-irrigation, cold storage, dairy units, food processing and rural enterprises. Areas near substations often experience better voltage quality, directly benefiting agriculture.
As climate uncertainty grows, access to dependable electricity will be as vital as rainfall—powering weather advisories, irrigation pumps and storage facilities that protect farmers from distress sales.
A Shared National Responsibility
India’s fields and its power grid must grow together. Food security cannot be compromised for energy expansion, nor can development be stalled by misinformation. With thoughtful routing, modern technology, fair compensation and genuine dialogue, transmission lines can exist alongside thriving farms.
The steel towers rising over India’s farmlands need not symbolise loss. If managed well, they can stand as markers of balance—where the farmer’s plough and the nation’s power lines move forward together, carrying the promise of shared progress.
For more information about ESSCI, visit www.essc-india.org.
