E-Paper
Hanging web of power cables poses threat to people in U.P.’s Prayagraj
power department and Prayagraj Nagar Nigam officials said repairs and replacement of dilapidated poles and wires are undertaken from time to time
A web of hanging and partially exposed electricity wires continue to pose a threat to the safety of residents and commuters alike in many localities of Sangam city. In many localities, telephone wires intermingling with power cables compounds the risk further.
The electricity department is spending huge amounts every year in the name of repairing wires, poles and transformers, but this situation remains unaddressed and unresolved even as city is experiencing rain. Due to worn out and partially exposed wires and open distribution boxes, fire incidents have occurred as many as eight times in the past 16 months.
A visit to localities is enough to witness the prevailing situation. In the densely populated Chowk market, shabby bunches of electric wires intermingled with telephone wites are visible hanging everywhere. Shopkeepers Musab Khan and Mohd Amir said a major accident can happen anytime in the areas near Thatheri Bazaar, Loknath, Jawahar crossing and many such places.
There is always a crowd of customers at these places and the power department has failed to address the issue despite many complaints, they claim. Locals fear a possible mishap due to LT MCB box installed on the roadside in Johnstonganj.
Shopkeepers Neeraj Sahu and Rahul Kesarwani said the MCB boxes are open from the front. they are placed merely three to four feet above ground. Due to garbage lying around, stray cattle keep frequenting the site and have even been electrocuted, they claim.
Distribution boxes placed on electric poles at Khuldabad crossing and multiple nearby places are also open. Local shopkeepers Rajmohan and Mohd Ali said there have been faults due to short circuits in the rainy season many times as the distribution boxes are open.
On the other hand, there is also a possibility of accidents due to the crowd of people at these places. People are easily able to reach the distribution boxes, they add. The iron electricity poles installed in Rajrooppur and Kalindipuram localities have rusted near the ground in many places. Due to this, there is always a chance of an accident in these localities too.
Akhilesh Singh, a former corporator, said numerous poles in these localities and others in the city are in shabby condition but have not been replaced. Dozens of such electric poles in Rajrooppur and Kalindipuram alone can cause a major accident any time. “Despite this problem being raised repeatedly in the meetings of the Prayagraj Development Authority and Prayagraj Nagar Nigam, no remedial measure has been taken,” he alleged.
Officials of the power department and the Prayagraj Nagar Nigam said repairs and replacement of dilapidated poles and wires are undertaken from time to time. Soon, a large scale exercise in this regard would be undertaken ahead of the Mahakumbh-2025, they said.
Chief engineer, electricity department, PK Singh said power cables of many localities are set to be made underground as part of the revamped distribution sector scheme (RDSS) in the city.
