Maze of power cables in colonies threat to residents

Neeraj Bagga

Amritsar, December 2

Dangerously dangling low wires, especially the high-tension variety passing over houses, are a problem for the residents. These houses can be found in unregulated colonies, most of which were approved during the erstwhile SAD-BJP regime.

The occupants of these houses live under constant threat. Many accidents, including those which resulted in deaths, have been reported due to these electricity wires in the recent past. The residents have been demanding the relocation of these power transmission lines at the earliest. Peeved locals even raised an alarm which elicited quick assurance from the political leaders but the work to remove high-tension wires proceeded only at a snail’s pace. Unable to pay for the skyrocketing cost of housing, families in need but with little means get trapped in buying these houses.

High-tension 11,000 kW electricity wires running close to rooftops are a bane for the residents of many city areas. One can see high-tension electricity wires passing over localities such as New Dashmesh Nagar, Indira Colony, Mohkampura, Azad Nagar and other areas.

Officials of the PSPCL washed their hands of saying that in most cases, the poles and wires were installed long before the localities came up. The residents have often requested the government to shift the wires but each time the power corporation asked them to bear the shifting charges.

The cobweb of electricity wires visible in the walled city is attributed to the area being developed centuries ago. The entire area is a mixed-use locality meaning no distinction between residential and commercial areas. However, a large number of unapproved colonies developed later in other parts of the city are battling similar problems like narrow streets, existence of mixed-use areas besides passing of wires, including high-tension cables over the houses. These houses can be found in localities situated on the Batala road, Majitha road, around Jodda Phatak and in other parts of the city.

Many accidents involving high-tension wires were reported in which people either lost their lives or were maimed and critically injured. For instance, two school children of Government Elementary School in the Mustafabad area on Batala road sustained injuries when they came into contact with high-tension wires passing over the school’s rooftop in 2013. A youth was killed while another sustained injuries when they touched high-tension wires accidentally passing over the roof of a godown in the Gilwali Gate area in February 2012. Some years ago, a three-year-old girl, Diya, lost her hand after coming into contact with high-tension wires.