East Delhi stares at shortages

Water, power may be in short supply.

Residents of east Delhi may face water and power shortages due to a road and drain widening activity being undertaken by the Public Works Department (PWD) on Wazirabad road number 66.

Power distribution companies claim that they were not informed about it and digging in the area has already damaged their cables eleven times in a month.

"This activity will involve large scale digging, which may severely damage BSES Yamuna Power Limited's (BYPL) underground cables. This may not only disrupt power supply to parts of east Delhi, but may also affect power to water treatment plants supplying water to many Delhi areas," said a BRPL spokesperson.

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Distribution companies claim that power supply lines were damaged on 11 occasions by the on-going road widening work on Wazirabad Road Number 66 causing power disruption in several areas of east Delhi.

"According to the guidelines, a civic agency undertaking digging has to keep other departments informed of the activity — enabling them to shift their underground cables and infrastructure, which is likely to be affected by the digging. But in this case, PWD has not informed BYPL while planning and undertaking this activity," added the official.

BYPL officials further said that the drain widening activity being undertaken by PWD will cause them a loss of R5 crore.

"A civic agency planning such a digging activity has to bear the expenses of shifting the cables and infrastructure. But PWD has neither intimated BYPL about the on-going road widening activity nor has sought any estimate from BYPL for the cost of shifting cables in view, which it is legally bound to do so," added the official.

The Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) too has previously given directions that the agency which undertakes road widening projects needs to pay the affected utilities that are made to shift their infrastructure — cables, pipes among others.