'Transformers not congesting footpath'

The Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) has submitted to the High Court that the transformers installed on footpaths in the City were not congesting the pavements.

In an affidavit filed in the court in two separate petitions - one by Jennifer Pinto, a City-based social worker and another by G R Mohan, an advocate, - the escom has said that there was sufficient space on the footpath when the transformers were installed. It has blamed the Palike for reducing the width of the footpath.

“After the road widening undertaken by BBMP for smooth flow of traffic, the footpath space has reduced considerably and hence the footpaths are not encroached upon by Bescom. The Distribution Transformer Centres (DTCs) are properly fenced and danger boards are put up,”the affidavit says.

Chief Engineer (Electricity), Bangalore Metropolitan Area Zone, Bescom, in his affidavit, has stated that the possibility of accidents due to the transformers, was not on account of the lapses on the part of Bescom. The company has also requested the High Court not to fix a time limit to clear the transformers on footpaths.

Bescom also submitted that it can shift some of the transformers to CA sites and Government lands in phased manner, provided, land is allocated by the civic agencies. A division bench comprising Justices K L Manjunath and S Sujatha has directed the Bescom authorities to be present before the court on next date of hearing.