BHUBANESWAR: As the state capital braces to tackle cyclone Dana, dangling overhead wires at many places, especially in residential areas, have emerged as a major concern for the city residents.
Overhead cables hanging barely at a height of 12 to 15 feet in an unsafe manner can be spotted at multiple locations including parts of Rasulgarh, Bomikhal, Nayapalli, Jharpada, Satya Vihar, Laxmisagar and Old Town areas heightening the fear of electrocution, short circuits and other mishaps among the residents.
The state government had started an ambitious underground cabling project in the city in 2015 and set a target to complete it by December 2020. With the project facing inordinate delay, the menace of hanging wires in the capital city has multiplied in the last nine years.
Subrat Panda, a resident of Chandrasekharpur, said, “Overhead wires, which are a common sight in the city streets, are highly vulnerable to extreme weather events and pose serious safety concerns. Such wires had posed a grave threat to residents in many parts of the city during cyclone Fani in 2019 and also delayed the road restoration work."
Prateek Swain, a techie from Nayapalli, pointed out that other wires and cables strung illegally on power poles, trees and other public infrastructure have also made matters worse.
The BMC and line departments have recently pulled down hoardings and billboards, lowered down cranes engaged in the construction of high-rises and trimmed branches of trees that may fall down during the storm and snap power supply. But the authorities have failed to take any concrete measures on the dangling overhead wires and cables.
BMC zonal commissioner (emergency) Kailash Chandra Das, however, said the civic body has asked TPCODL to take necessary measures to minimise the risk from overhead cables.
“The TPCODL has formed different teams for immediate restoration of power supply and repair of electric poles in the event of any damage to them. Besides, the BMC has also readied teams for restoration of street lights damaged during the cyclone,” Das added.