UG cables safer, but commuters wary about laying chaos

As the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) prepares to phase out the antiquated overhead cables and electric poles, the city is preparing for a network of underground powerlines. Will this spark a change to ensure hassle-free neighbourhoods?

The pre-monsoon showers and the destructive winds that followed have already exposed the city’s poor rain-preparedness. The monsoon is bound to bring bigger damage, with tree falls and electrocutions.

Having witnessed the full extent of the damage, from collapse of electric posts to falling trees causing immense damage to both public and private properties, M M Muthanna, head of Muthanna and Association on Lavelle Road opines: “Though I had my own car parked at my office, I was stranded at the bus station at 11:30 p.m. The fear of electric posts and trees falling overhead cannot be easily neglected. I hope the government gives a positive nod to Bescom’s project.”

A big advantage with underground cables would be minimising of power cuts, a recurring headache for most Bengalureans. For decades, gusty winds and rain have always spelt power shutdowns for citizens.

Sandeep A Nair, a resident of R R Nagar, says: “We suffer frequent powercuts here. Signs of strong winds and rain are generally followed by a powercut. With the monsoon season about to set in, this is only going to worsen. The aftermath of rains results in a lot of inconvenience for the public.”

Daily motorists have a mixed opinion about the Bescom project. Although they understand the risk of trees and electric poles collapsing on them during rain, they are equally worried about the heavy disruption of traffic caused by incessant digging and laying of underground cables.

Many feel that the city traffic anyway gets unbearable when it rains, and the project would only add to their misery. Vinay Krishnan, an engineering student at Presidency University, who takes his bike for commute, says he is happy that Bescom has finally come up with this idea. “The pre-monsoon showers and its aftermath have been a clear indicator of how dangerous it can get when live electric wires or electric post collapse.”

However, he is also apprehensive. “I hope the construction work for the underground wires are done at a fast pace causing the least inconvenience to the public.”

Implementation of the project will also have an eco-friendly side to it, as the flora need not be cleared to create space for electric posts and to connect overhead electric cables. Moreover, there could be more space on the streets with all the electric poles going underneath.

A refined outlook to the city can be achieved by detaching the tangled and messy electric wires from the environment.

Deepa Mohan, a birding expert and naturalist, notes, “If Bescom succeeds in completing the project within a stipulated time, I’ll be happy. Besides, it will go a long way in protecting the children and keeping the environment safe.”

Ashok Sarath, a member of ‘I Change Indiranagar’ residents welfare association is of the opinion that replacing the overhead cables with underground powerlines is a ‘good idea.’ “This surely has its positive aspects. However, there is a downside to the project.”

He explains, “The civic agencies in the city hesitate to work in concert. If the BBMP manages to work alongside Bescom, helping them in covering up the roads, it will be a huge help for the public.

It will result in less inconvenience if there is good coordination among the agencies.”

Harikrishnan E N