Lorry knocks over 30 electric poles in Bengaluru, causes massive power outage: Report

A lorry that damaged power lines and knocked over about 30 electric poles early Saturday left nearly 6,000 homes near Chikkabanavara without electricity.

Published on: Aug 25, 2024, 12:00:08 IST

By Yamini C S

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

In the early hours of Saturday, a significant power disruption occurred near Chikkabanavara when a tipper lorry collided with power infrastructure, causing widespread outages. The incident unfolded at around 2:20 am on the route between Chikkabanavara Circle and Dwarakanagar, the Deccan Herald reported.

Restoration efforts, which began promptly, managed to restore power to most areas by Saturday evening, though the incident caused an estimated ₹7 to 8 lakh in damages. (Gurpreet Singh/HT/Representative image)

The lorry's rear carrier became entangled with and subsequently severed the power supply wires, resulting in the collapse of nearly 30 electric poles and affecting approximately 34 transformers.

ALSO READ | Bengaluru traffic advisory for Krishna Janmashtami 2024; Check restrictions, alternate routes

Bescom officials reported that the lorry driver, apparently unaware of the damage caused by the broken carrier, continued driving for about half a kilometre, exacerbating the situation. Emergency response teams commenced restoration efforts early Saturday, and by 5 pm, around 85 per cent of the repairs were completed, with most affected areas receiving power back by the evening.

ALSO READ | Karnataka horror: 24-year-old woman kidnapped, drugged, and raped by Instagram friend near Udupi; Two arrested

While no injuries were reported, Bescom officials estimate the total cost of the damage to be between ₹7 to 8 lakh, covering the costs of replacing the fallen poles and repairing the damaged transformers. The Soladevanahalli Police Station has registered a complaint against the lorry driver, who is being held accountable for the incident.

“Restoring power supply was of the utmost priority and we assigned multiple teams to restore power at the earliest,” an official told the publication.

ALSO READ | Monkeypox scare in Bengaluru: Karnataka health dept ready with 50-bed isolation ward

“We had to repair the wires, erect new poles and restore power. While we have not kept an exact cost of items being replaced, we estimate that the damages have resulted in losses up to ₹eight lakh,” another official said, as quoted in the report.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yamini C S
Yamini CS is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with nearly six years of experience in digital journalism. She is part of the India News desk, where she works on a wide range of stories cutting across civic issues, city-based developments, politics, governance, public policy, breaking news, trending topics, and international affairs that have an impact on India. Her role involves tracking fast-moving developments, verifying information from official and on-ground sources, and presenting news in a clear, accessible format for a digital-first audience. A significant part of her work includes handling live blogs during major news events, such as elections, court verdicts, political developments, civic disruptions, protests, weather-related alerts, and unfolding national or international incidents. Through live coverage, she focuses on timely updates to help readers follow complex stories as they evolve. Before moving to the broader India News desk, Yamini was associated with the Bengaluru desk at Hindustan Times, where she extensively covered urban governance, infrastructure, traffic and transport issues, weather events, public grievances, and civic administration in the city. This experience strengthened her grounding in city reporting and sharpened her focus on citizen-centric journalism. She began her career as a correspondent with Reuters after completing a postgraduate diploma in journalism from the Indian Institute of Journalism and New Media. Her early training instilled a strong emphasis on accuracy, sourcing, and news ethics, which continue to shape her reporting style. Outside of work, Yamini enjoys reading across genres, listening to music, and spending time with her family, which help her maintain balance in a fast-paced newsroom environment.Read More

Catch every big hit, every wicket with Crickit, a one stop destination for Live Scores, Match Stats, Infographics & much more. Explore now!

Stay updated Bengaluru Weather Live and with all the Breaking News and Latest News from Bengaluru. Click here for comprehensive coverage of top cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and more across India . Stay informed on the latest happenings in World News.