Power was suspended for over 12 hours in parts of Kodungaiyur after a container lorry uprooted three live electricity poles when its driver tried to negotiate the narrow stretch. Even as the lorry driver is absconding, police blamed poor visibility due to heavy showers for the accident that took place on Manali High Road.
The incident took place around 2 a.m. when the lorry, on its way to Manali from Chennai Port, tried to negotiate a narrow stretch. It was raining heavily and the driver ended up ramming the poles. Power supply was disrupted and residents, who had rushed out of their houses on hearing the noise, informed the Kodungaiyur police.
A Tangedco team removed the poles. “Container lorries use such narrow stretches to avoid verification of documents of the vehicles by transport officials and the police. Increased surveillance will prevent such accidents,” said a police officer.
Power supply was restored only at 6 p.m. “As the incident occurred early in the day, no one was injured,” said K. Shankar, a resident of Kodungaiyur. “The owner of the lorry paid for replacing the poles. The work for this will be completed soon,” said a Tangedco official.
