Bescom identifies over 26,000 hazardous spots, majority in Bengaluru
Bengaluru: Bescom has identified over 26,000 hazardous spots in its jurisdiction, the majority of which are in Bengaluru. The electricity provider conducted a survey following the recent accident in Kadugodi in which a 23-year-old woman and her baby died after stepping on a live wire on the footpath.
Through the survey period between November 21 and November 30, division-level officials also tried to rectify the flaws and problems in 8,198 of the 26,022 spots. With these rectifications, Bengaluru now has 16,791 hazardous spots that are yet to be addressed.
The survey data accessed by DH shows that Bengaluru alone accounted for 23,187 of such dangerous spots, with South End Circle topping the list (11,982). This was followed by 2,080 spots in Kolar and 460 in Davangere.
From loosely hanging to skinned-out power cables, officials identified a number of faults in the electrical infrastructure. “They have identified even the minutest flaw in the infrastructure and recorded them. While the pole was bending in some cases, the power cables had to be replaced since they were skinned out in other cases. In yet another instance, the conductors in the transformers were exposed. We have identified them all,” a Bescom official told DH.
Acknowledging that these spots could pose a threat to citizens, Bescom officials have directed the division-level officers to rectify them in 15 days.
“We have asked them to prioritise the spots that are an immediate threat and get them corrected at the earliest. Spots with heavy footfall are also being prioritised. By December end, we want to ensure there are no such hazardous spots in our jurisdiction,” the official said.
The officials are also removing illegal Optical Fibre Cables (OFC) that are attached to Bescom poles. Such cables have proved to be dangerous, with two related accidents reported in the city in the recent past.
In August, in two separate accidents, two students in their early twenties sustained injuries after electric poles came crashing down after an illegal cable attached to the electric pole was pulled by vehicles.