A cluster of wires and cables entangled on a pole poses a risk to pedestrians.
Credit: DH File Photo
Bengaluru: Five years after the state government announced a project to convert overhead electricity lines into underground and aerial bundled cables, over 4,800 km of both the 11kV and low tension wires combined are yet to be awarded tenders for conversion.
The recent case of a mother and her toddler dying after coming in contact with a live wire has highlighted the need for the project to pick up pace to prevent another accident.
As of October, four years since the Bescom began work, over 96% of the high tension wires in the city have been moved underground and over 97% of the low tension wires have been converted to aerial bundled cables.
Data shared by Bescom shows that as of October 2023, only 7,182.76 km lines were awarded tenders, out of the total of 9,057.375 km of 11kV lines proposed for conversion, and nearly 6,905 km have been moved underground.
Similarly, of the nearly 8,937 km of low tension (LT) lines proposed for conversion, nearly 6,135 km of lines were awarded tenders, of which 5,974 km of lines have been converted to aerial bundled cables.
Bescom officials have set a deadline to complete the conversion of the remaining awarded works of 277.8 km of 11kV wires and 160.8 km of LT wires by March 2024. Doing so would reduce the risk of electrocutions and ensure better power supply with reduced disruptions, they said.
A Bescom senior official, who did not wish to be named, noted that there were several reasons why work had been delayed. "The elections halted this work and so did the rains. We have also had to struggle to get necessary approvals to dig up roads to lay the 11kV lines underground. However, once completed, it should completely reduce the risk of accidents and power cuts."