BENGALURU: Since January, the Bengaluru Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM) has cut and dug up 263 roads across the city to fix cable faults and resume power supply. According to data from the BESCOM technical department, Bengaluru East Division received 185 complaints followed by Bengaluru North (43), South (25) and West (10).
“BESCOM was compelled to cut and dig roads as underground cables were damaged by either Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board, optical fibre companies and sometimes the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike. The works were taken up on an emergency and the BESCOM civil engineer team was present. Once the cable fault was fixed, the dug-up roads were restored,” said an official.
He also added that sometimes, a fixed amount is paid to BBMP and municipality engineers add bitumen to fix the roads.
Earlier, BWSSB Engineer-in-Chief Suresh B said in many places, the water board has taken up sewage network and water supply work for 110 villages that were merged over a decade ago and hence damage to roads and electric cables took place. “The BWSSB is now working on Cauvery Stage V and by the end of 2024, the project will be completed and there will not be any road cutting or digging work. Almost in all cases of pipework, the BWSSB is restoring the road,” he said.
From January to December 15, BESCOM reported 4,413 internal cable faults and all have been attended to and fixed.