The city and the three north Andhra districts of Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhpatnam, which were ravaged by cyclone Hudhud nearly two weeks ago, are limping to normal.
Drinking water supply has been fully restored in the city and power supply is also being restored steadily despite obstacles in the clearing of huge tree trunks lying across the roads.
“Drinking water supply has been totally restored both for households and industries. We are supplying the stipulated 44 MGD to meet the drinking water needs and 15.11 MGD (i.e. 0.11 MGD more) as against the normal supply of 15 MGD to industries,” Superintending Engineering (Water Supply) of the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) Marianna said on Friday.
“The major property losses were damaged transformers, motors and other equipment at the Narava Filtration Plant, pipeline washout at Bheemunipatnam, bursting of 100 pipelines, and damage to compound walls and 86 generators, causing a loss of about Rs.200 crore to the Water Supply wing,” he said.
The Eastern Power Distribution Company Limited of Andhra Pradesh (AP EPDCL) has managed to achieve the Herculean task of rectifying 6,51,184 services of the total 6,78,224 connections in the city. Similarly, 307 of the 314 11 KV feeders and all the 30 33/11 substations have been rectified in the city as of Friday evening.
Energy Secretary Ajay Jain, who is camping in the city, is monitoring the restoration works.
Out of 23,73,705 services in the three circles – Visakhapatnam, Srikakulam and Vizianagaram — 20,17,553 have been restored and work is on to restore 3,56,152 services.
Power has been restored to the Rushikonda IT Park, Minister for IT Palle Ragunatha Reddy said.
“Extensive damage to 33/11 KV substations, and 11 KV feeders and falling of electricity poles and delay in the removal of fallen tree trunks is coming in the way of speedy restoration at some places. We hope to achieve total restoration by October 31,” Director (operations) P. Rammohan told The Hindu on Friday.
