Several areas without electricity after deadly dust storm

People in several areas of Delhi had a harrowing time as power supply was snapped for over 17 hours after a powerful dust storm damaged the electricity network last evening.

There was no power in areas like Dwarka, Rohini, Jahangirpuri and some parts of east and outer Delhi. Power department officials said this morning that it will take another 3-4 hours to repair the power line to restore normal electricity supply in these areas.

The affected residents expressed anger over failure of concerned agencies to repair the power network which also affected water supply in these areas, adding to the residents' woes in the summer heat.

"There was no electricity in our area since 5:05 PM yesterday. There was no water and we are having a harrowing time," said Vimla Khanna, a resident of Jahangirpuri area.

A powerful dust storm had struck the city at around 4:58 PM yesterday throwing normal life out of gear, severely damaging the entire power transmission network in Delhi and neighbouring states. At least nine people were killed in the NCR region, including six in Delhi, in incidents of falling trees, collapse of walls and electrocution.

Two major 220 KB transmission lines from Pamnouli to Papankallan and Bawana to Rohini grid were severely damaged in the storm because of which supply of power could not be restored in various areas of west Delhi, said a senior power department official.

He said atleast four power transmission toweres were also damaged by the storm and hundreds of technical staff were working through the night and this morning to repair them.

Supply of power was restored in some areas by midnight.

Destruction in power transmission network has affected operations at various water treatment plants of Delhi Jal Board, affecting supply of water in east, west, and south Delhi.

It had also disrupted operations of Delhi Metro for over one hour yesterday. Yesterday, all major power transmission lines of the Northern Grid through which Delhi receives power from other states tripped in the storm.

The lines which tripped included a number of 400 kilo vault lines including Dadari-Mandola line, Ballabhgarh -Bamnauli line and Jhatikara-Mundaka network, power department officials had said.

Power generation was affected at all plants in the city including Rajghat power house, Pragati Power Station and three units of Badarpur Thermal Power Station.

"A maximum load up to around 3000 MW was affected yesterday. The lines which tripped include lines of both northern grid as well as of Delhi Transco," said a senior Power Department official.